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- Portuguese nurses’ stress, anxiety, and depression reduction strategies during the COVID-19 outbreakPublication . Pinho, Lara Guedes de; Sampaio, Francisco; Sequeira, Carlos; Teixeira, L.; Fonseca, César João Vicente da; Lopes, ManuelThe COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to mental health problems worldwide. Nurses are particularly prone to stress because they directly care for individuals with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19. The aims of this study were (a) to explore the association between the mental health promotion strategies used by nurses during the COVID-19 outbreak and their symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress; (b) to compare the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress of mental health nurses to those of non-mental health nurses; and (c) to compare the frequency of use of mental health strategies of mental health nurses to those of non-mental health nurses. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 821 nurses. Univariate and multivariate regression models were developed to identify potential protective factors of depression, anxiety, and stress. The chi-square test was also used to compare the use of strategies among mental health and non-mental health nurses. Portuguese nurses demonstrated high symptoms of depressive symptoms, stress, and anxiety. Healthy eating, physical activity, rest between shifts, maintaining social contacts, verbalizing feelings/emotions, and spending less time searching for information about COVID-19 were associated with better mental health. Mental health nurses had less depression, anxiety, and stress, and used more strategies to promote mental health than other nurses. We consider it important to promote nurses’ mental health literacy by encouraging them to develop skills and strategies aimed at improving their resilience and ability to deal with difficult situations while caring for the population.
- Nurses’ mental health during the covid-19 outbreak: a cross-sectional studyPublication . Sampaio, Francisco; Sequeira, Carlos; Teixeira, L.Objective: To describe nurses’ mental health status during the Covid-19 outbreak and to explore the factors that might accentuate the negative consequences on their mental health. Methods: We conducted an online survey to evaluate demographic variables, working conditions, family dynamics, and mental health variables in nurses working in healthcare settings, in Portugal, during the Covid-19 outbreak. Results: Portuguese nurses presented higher depression, anxiety and stress levels, when compared to the Portuguese general population, during the outbreak. Overall, nurses who did not consider the quantity and quality of personal protective equipment as adequate presented significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Conclusions: Our results suggest that nurses’ mental health status seems to be particularly affected by the Covid-19 outbreak and that some modifiable elements might accentuate the impacts on their mental health.
- The use of mental health promotion strategies by nurses to reduce anxiety, stress, and depression during the COVID-19 outbreak: a prospective cohort studyPublication . Pinho, Lara Guedes de; Correia, Tânia Sofia Pereira; Sampaio, Francisco; Sequeira, Carlos; Teixeira, L.; Lopes, Manuel; Fonseca, César João Vicente daObjectives: To evaluate and compare nurses' depression, anxiety and stress symptoms at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and after six months; to evaluate and compare the frequency of use of mental health promotion strategies during the same period; and to identify the relationship between the frequency of use of mental health promotion strategies, during the same period, with nurses’ depression, anxiety and stress symptoms. Methods: Data collection was carried out in two moments: at baseline and after six months. An online questionnaire was applied to nurses to assess the frequency of use of some mental health promotion strategies and their depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms (through the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales – short version (DASS-21)). Results: The anxiety and stress symptoms significantly decreased over time. The physical activity increased, and a decrease was observed in the remote social contacts after six months. The stress, anxiety and depression scores were significantly lower in nurses who frequently or always used all strategies compared to participants who never or rarely used them, except for one strategy (rejecting information about COVID-19 from unreliable sources). Conclusions: Mental health promotion strategies, such as physical activity, relaxation activity, recreational activity, healthy diet, adequate water intake, breaks between work shifts, maintenance of remote social contacts, and verbalization of feelings/emotions, are crucial to reduce nurses’ stress, anxiety and depression symptoms during the COVID-19 outbreak.
- Impact of COVID-19 outbreak on nurses’ mental health: a prospective cohort studyPublication . Sampaio, Francisco; Sequeira, Carlos; Teixeira, L.Objectives: To evaluate variations in nurses’ sleep quality and symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress during the COVID-19 outbreak, and to evaluate whether the presence of potential risk factors influenced these symptoms over time. Methods: This prospective cohort study surveyed nurses three times – surveying personal factors, working conditions, family dynamics, and attitude towards COVID-19 – between March 31 and May 4, 2020. Nurses’ mental health was assessed through Depression Anxiety Stress Scales – short version (DASS-21); their sleep quality was assessed through a 5-point Likert scale question. Results: Nurses' sleep quality and symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress presented a positive variation over the COVID-19 outbreak. The only factors which are directly related to the COVID-19 outbreak and that were associated with the positive variation in nurses’ symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress were the fear to infect others and the fear to be infected (higher fear of being infected or to infect someone corresponded to increased symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress). Conclusions: Although the COVID-19 outbreak seems to have had an immediate impact on nurses' mental health, a psychological adaptation phenomenon was also observed. Future research should focus on assessing nurses’ symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, after the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to compare and contrast the findings with the results of our study.