How the COVID‐19 Pandemic Affected Different Ages Among Providers Regarding Perceived Stress Level in the Workplace

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Abstracts of the 2023 Pennsylvania College of Emergency Physicians Scientific Assembly

Abstract

Study Objectives: The wellness of providers and all members of the healthcare team is important for the holistic care of the patient and their loved ones. The COVID‐19 pandemic affected the wellness of providers in the healthcare field across America. This study provides insight into the degree with which each provider felt they were impacted, both positively and negatively.

Methods: This study was conducted through a survey sent out via survey monkey to providers of a health network in eastern Pennsylvania. Included in this study were residents in training, fellows in training, nurses, attending physicians and nurse practitioners/physician assistants in specialties including Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Critical Care. The start date was January 11th, 2022 and the survey remained open for a 2‐week period. All surveys were anonymous. Several categories, in addition to specialty, were compared. These included age (20‐29, 30–39, 40–49, 50–59, and ≥60 years old), with whom the provider lives, and the average number of clinical hours worked per month.

Results: Collectively, there were 267 surveys received of which 125 are male, 141 are female, and 1 prefers not to identify. Results indicate a disparity between providers of different age groups regarding the survey question about wellness “I feel a sense of dread when I think about the work I have to do.” This disparity is specifically evident between age groups of 20–29 year olds versus ≥ 60 year olds (p‐value <.001), 30–39 year olds versus ≥ 60 year olds (p‐value < .001), and 40–49 year olds versus ≥ 60 year olds (p‐value = .002). The responses to the survey questions about wellness were measured as 1 being not at all true to 5 being completely true. Figure 1 indicates the median responses to the wellness questionnaire across the different age groups.

Conclusion: The pandemic played a role in the overall perceived stress level in the healthcare workplace among providers of different ages. Based on our study, the results indicate there is increased dread when “thinking about the work that needs to be done,” among younger providers (younger than 60 years old). The perceived sense of dread over the difficulties experienced in the pandemic, specifically among younger providers, can potentially negatively affect the providers in ways that should prompt further investigation.

First Page

e12946

DOI

10.1002/emp2.12946

Publication Date

6-2023

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS