Secondary Traumatization Outcomes and Associated Factors Among the Health Care Workers Exposed to the COVID-19

Background: Secondary traumatization exposure and mental health conditions of health care workers gained importance during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic period. Aims: In our study, we aim to research the secondary traumatization and associated factors among health care workers. Method: This cross-sectional study was applied through an online questionnaire using the snowball sampling method. Two hundred fifty-one health care workers from different units/services and 312 non-medical worker adults attended to the research. Health care workers were divided into two groups based on working with COVID-19 patients at the frontline or not. The data were collected via Introductory Information Form, Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (STSS) and Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) between 22 May and 30 May 2020. Results: Among the 563 participants, 251 (44.6%) were health care workers and 312 (55.4%) were non-medical workers. The anxiety, depression and secondary traumatization scores of the frontline health care workers for the COVID-19 were found to be significantly higher than those of the other health workers or non-medical workers (p <.001). Also, we found that being a woman, being in the first years of the work, living with a parent, having a chronic disease, having a trauma history and increased social media use are related to having higher scores from the secondary traumatization scale. Conclusion: The secondary traumatization exposure and the mental health conditions of the health care workers directly working with the COVID-19 patients should be taken into consideration. It is important to provide social support, examine and control riskier groups for mental health regularly during the pandemic.

Automated summary

This study found that frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic had significantly higher levels of anxiety, depression, and COVID-19-related secondary traumatization compared to other healthcare workers or non-medical workers. Factors such as being female, having fewer years of work experience, living with parents, having a chronic illness, a history of trauma, and increased social media use were related to higher scores on the secondary traumatization scale.