The major worldwide stress of healthcare professionals during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic – the international COVISTRESS survey

Sébastien Couarraze; Louis Delamarre; Fouad Marhar; Binh Quach; Jiao  Jiao; Raimundo Avilés Dorlhiac; Foued Saadaoui; Andy Su-I Liu; Benoït Dubuis; Samuel Antunes; Nicolas Andant; Bruno Pereira; Ukadike C. Ugbolue; Julien S. Baker; The COVISTRESS Network; Maëlys Clinchamps; Frédéric Dutheil; Stéphanie Mestres; Cécile Miele; Valentin Navel; Lénise Parreira; Karine Rouffiac; Yves Boirie; Jean Baptiste Bouillon-Minois; Martine Duclos; Maria Livia Fantini; Jeannot Schmidt; Stéphanie Tubert-Jeannin; Mickael Berthon; Pierre Chausse; Michael Dambrun; Sylvie Droit-Volet; Julien Guegan; Serge Guimond; Laurie Mondillon; Armelle Nugier; Pascal Huguet; Samuel Dewavrin; Geraldine Naughton; Amanda Benson; Claus Lamm; Karen Gbaglo; Vicky Drapeau; Benjamin Bustos; Yaodong Gu; Haifeng Zhang; Peter Dieckmann; Yanping  Duan; Yang Gemma  Gao; Yajun Wendy  Huang; Chunqing  Zhang; Perluigi Cocco; Rosamaria Lecca; Monica Puligheddu; Michela Figorilli; Morteza Charkhabi; Reza Bagheri; Daniela Pfabigan; Peter Dieckmann; David Neto; Pedro Almeida; Maria João Gouveia; Pedro Quinteiro; Constanta Urzeala; Juliette Lemaignen; Kuan-chou Chen; Keri Kulik

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0257840

The major worldwide stress of healthcare professionals during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic – the international COVISTRESS survey

Sébastien Couarraze^*, Louis Delamarre, Fouad Marhar, Binh Quach, Jiao Jiao, Raimundo Avilés Dorlhiac, Foued Saadaoui, Andy Su-I Liu, Benoït Dubuis, Samuel Antunes, Nicolas Andant, Bruno Pereira, Ukadike C. Ugbolue, Julien S. Baker, The COVISTRESS Network, Maëlys Clinchamps, Frédéric Dutheil, Stéphanie Mestres, Cécile Miele, Valentin NavelLénise Parreira, Karine Rouffiac, Yves Boirie, Jean Baptiste Bouillon-Minois, Martine Duclos, Maria Livia Fantini, Jeannot Schmidt, Stéphanie Tubert-Jeannin, Mickael Berthon, Pierre Chausse, Michael Dambrun, Sylvie Droit-Volet, Julien Guegan, Serge Guimond, Laurie Mondillon, Armelle Nugier, Pascal Huguet, Samuel Dewavrin, Geraldine Naughton, Amanda Benson, Claus Lamm, Karen Gbaglo, Vicky Drapeau, Benjamin Bustos, Yaodong Gu, Haifeng Zhang, Peter Dieckmann, Yanping Duan, Yang Gemma Gao, Yajun Wendy Huang, Chunqing Zhang, Perluigi Cocco, Rosamaria Lecca, Monica Puligheddu, Michela Figorilli, Morteza Charkhabi, Reza Bagheri, Daniela Pfabigan, Peter Dieckmann, David Neto, Pedro Almeida, Maria João Gouveia, Pedro Quinteiro, Constanta Urzeala, Juliette Lemaignen, Kuan-chou Chen, Keri Kulik

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › peer-review

57 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has initiated an upheaval in society and has been the cause of considerable stress during this period. Healthcare professionals have been on the front line during this health crisis, particularly paramedical staff. The aim of this study was to assess the high level of stress of healthcare workers during the first wave of the pandemic.

Materials and methods: The COVISTRESS international study is a questionnaire disseminated online collecting demographic and stress-related data over the globe, during the pandemic. Stress levels were evaluated using non-calibrated visual analog scale, from 0 (no stress) to 100 (maximal stress).

Results: Among the 13,537 individuals from 44 countries who completed the survey from January to June 2020, we included 10,051 workers (including 1379 healthcare workers, 631 medical doctors and 748 paramedical staff). The stress levels during the first wave of the pandemic were 57.8 ± 33 in the whole cohort, 65.3 ± 29.1 in medical doctors, and 73.6 ± 27.7 in paramedical staff. Healthcare professionals and especially paramedical staff had the highest levels of stress (p < 0.001 vs non-healthcare workers). Across all occupational categories, women had systematically significantly higher levels of work-related stress than men (p < 0.001). There was a negative correlation between age and stress level (r = -0.098, p < 0.001). Healthcare professionals demonstrated an increased risk of very-high stress levels (>80) compared to other workers (OR = 2.13, 95% CI 1.87–2.41). Paramedical staff risk for very-high levels of stress was higher than doctors’ (1.88, 1.50–2.34). The risk of high levels of stress also increased in women (1.83, 1.61–2.09; p < 0.001 vs. men) and in people aged <50 (1.45, 1.26–1.66; p < 0.001 vs. aged >50).

Conclusions: The first wave of the pandemic was a major stressful event for healthcare workers, especially paramedical staff. Among individuals, women were the most at risk while age was a protective factor.

Original language	English
Article number	e0257840
Number of pages	16
Journal	PLoS ONE
Volume	16
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0257840
Publication status	Published - 6 Oct 2021

Scopus Subject Areas

General

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1371/journal.pone.0257840

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Couarraze, S., Delamarre, L., Marhar, F., Quach, B., Jiao, J., Dorlhiac, R. A., Saadaoui, F., Su-I Liu, A., Dubuis, B., Antunes, S., Andant, N., Pereira, B., Ugbolue, U. C., Baker, J. S., The COVISTRESS Network, Clinchamps, M., Dutheil, F., Mestres, S., Miele, C., ... Kulik, K. (2021). The major worldwide stress of healthcare professionals during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic – the international COVISTRESS survey. PLoS ONE, 16(10), Article e0257840. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0257840

@article{c2f0f5fe05e449eaac0378afa463fe22,

title = "The major worldwide stress of healthcare professionals during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic – the international COVISTRESS survey",

abstract = "Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has initiated an upheaval in society and has been the cause of considerable stress during this period. Healthcare professionals have been on the front line during this health crisis, particularly paramedical staff. The aim of this study was to assess the high level of stress of healthcare workers during the first wave of the pandemic. Materials and methods: The COVISTRESS international study is a questionnaire disseminated online collecting demographic and stress-related data over the globe, during the pandemic. Stress levels were evaluated using non-calibrated visual analog scale, from 0 (no stress) to 100 (maximal stress). Results: Among the 13,537 individuals from 44 countries who completed the survey from January to June 2020, we included 10,051 workers (including 1379 healthcare workers, 631 medical doctors and 748 paramedical staff). The stress levels during the first wave of the pandemic were 57.8 ± 33 in the whole cohort, 65.3 ± 29.1 in medical doctors, and 73.6 ± 27.7 in paramedical staff. Healthcare professionals and especially paramedical staff had the highest levels of stress (p < 0.001 vs non-healthcare workers). Across all occupational categories, women had systematically significantly higher levels of work-related stress than men (p < 0.001). There was a negative correlation between age and stress level (r = -0.098, p < 0.001). Healthcare professionals demonstrated an increased risk of very-high stress levels (>80) compared to other workers (OR = 2.13, 95% CI 1.87–2.41). Paramedical staff risk for very-high levels of stress was higher than doctors{\textquoteright} (1.88, 1.50–2.34). The risk of high levels of stress also increased in women (1.83, 1.61–2.09; p < 0.001 vs. men) and in people aged <50 (1.45, 1.26–1.66; p < 0.001 vs. aged >50). Conclusions: The first wave of the pandemic was a major stressful event for healthcare workers, especially paramedical staff. Among individuals, women were the most at risk while age was a protective factor.",

author = "S{\'e}bastien Couarraze and Louis Delamarre and Fouad Marhar and Binh Quach and Jiao Jiao and Dorlhiac, {Raimundo Avil{\'e}s} and Foued Saadaoui and {Su-I Liu}, Andy and Beno{\"i}t Dubuis and Samuel Antunes and Nicolas Andant and Bruno Pereira and Ugbolue, {Ukadike C.} and Baker, {Julien S.} and {The COVISTRESS Network} and Ma{\"e}lys Clinchamps and Fr{\'e}d{\'e}ric Dutheil and St{\'e}phanie Mestres and C{\'e}cile Miele and Valentin Navel and L{\'e}nise Parreira and Karine Rouffiac and Yves Boirie and Bouillon-Minois, {Jean Baptiste} and Martine Duclos and Fantini, {Maria Livia} and Jeannot Schmidt and St{\'e}phanie Tubert-Jeannin and Mickael Berthon and Pierre Chausse and Michael Dambrun and Sylvie Droit-Volet and Julien Guegan and Serge Guimond and Laurie Mondillon and Armelle Nugier and Pascal Huguet and Samuel Dewavrin and Geraldine Naughton and Amanda Benson and Claus Lamm and Karen Gbaglo and Vicky Drapeau and Benjamin Bustos and Yaodong Gu and Haifeng Zhang and Peter Dieckmann and Yanping Duan and Gao, {Yang Gemma} and Huang, {Yajun Wendy} and Chunqing Zhang and Perluigi Cocco and Rosamaria Lecca and Monica Puligheddu and Michela Figorilli and Morteza Charkhabi and Reza Bagheri and Daniela Pfabigan and Peter Dieckmann and David Neto and Pedro Almeida and Gouveia, {Maria Jo{\~a}o} and Pedro Quinteiro and Constanta Urzeala and Juliette Lemaignen and Kuan-chou Chen and Keri Kulik",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 Couarraze et al. ",

year = "2021",

month = oct,

day = "6",

doi = "10.1371/journal.pone.0257840",

language = "English",

volume = "16",

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Couarraze, S, Delamarre, L, Marhar, F, Quach, B, Jiao, J, Dorlhiac, RA, Saadaoui, F, Su-I Liu, A, Dubuis, B, Antunes, S, Andant, N, Pereira, B, Ugbolue, UC, Baker, JS, The COVISTRESS Network, Clinchamps, M, Dutheil, F, Mestres, S, Miele, C, Navel, V, Parreira, L, Rouffiac, K, Boirie, Y, Bouillon-Minois, JB, Duclos, M, Fantini, ML, Schmidt, J, Tubert-Jeannin, S, Berthon, M, Chausse, P, Dambrun, M, Droit-Volet, S, Guegan, J, Guimond, S, Mondillon, L, Nugier, A, Huguet, P, Dewavrin, S, Naughton, G, Benson, A, Lamm, C, Gbaglo, K, Drapeau, V, Bustos, B, Gu, Y, Zhang, H, Dieckmann, P, Duan, Y , Gao, YG , Huang, YW, Zhang, C, Cocco, P, Lecca, R, Puligheddu, M, Figorilli, M, Charkhabi, M, Bagheri, R, Pfabigan, D, Dieckmann, P, Neto, D, Almeida, P, Gouveia, MJ, Quinteiro, P, Urzeala, C, Lemaignen, J, Chen, K & Kulik, K 2021, 'The major worldwide stress of healthcare professionals during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic – the international COVISTRESS survey', PLoS ONE, vol. 16, no. 10, e0257840. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0257840

TY - JOUR

T1 - The major worldwide stress of healthcare professionals during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic – the international COVISTRESS survey

AU - Couarraze, Sébastien

AU - Delamarre, Louis

AU - Marhar, Fouad

AU - Quach, Binh

AU - Jiao, Jiao

AU - Dorlhiac, Raimundo Avilés

AU - Saadaoui, Foued

AU - Su-I Liu, Andy

AU - Dubuis, Benoït

AU - Antunes, Samuel

AU - Andant, Nicolas

AU - Pereira, Bruno

AU - Ugbolue, Ukadike C.

AU - Baker, Julien S.

AU - The COVISTRESS Network

AU - Clinchamps, Maëlys

AU - Dutheil, Frédéric

AU - Mestres, Stéphanie

AU - Miele, Cécile

AU - Navel, Valentin

AU - Parreira, Lénise

AU - Rouffiac, Karine

AU - Boirie, Yves

AU - Bouillon-Minois, Jean Baptiste

AU - Duclos, Martine

AU - Fantini, Maria Livia

AU - Schmidt, Jeannot

AU - Tubert-Jeannin, Stéphanie

AU - Berthon, Mickael

AU - Chausse, Pierre

AU - Dambrun, Michael

AU - Droit-Volet, Sylvie

AU - Guegan, Julien

AU - Guimond, Serge

AU - Mondillon, Laurie

AU - Nugier, Armelle

AU - Huguet, Pascal

AU - Dewavrin, Samuel

AU - Naughton, Geraldine

AU - Benson, Amanda

AU - Lamm, Claus

AU - Gbaglo, Karen

AU - Drapeau, Vicky

AU - Bustos, Benjamin

AU - Gu, Yaodong

AU - Zhang, Haifeng

AU - Dieckmann, Peter

AU - Duan, Yanping

AU - Gao, Yang Gemma

AU - Huang, Yajun Wendy

AU - Zhang, Chunqing

AU - Cocco, Perluigi

AU - Lecca, Rosamaria

AU - Puligheddu, Monica

AU - Figorilli, Michela

AU - Charkhabi, Morteza

AU - Bagheri, Reza

AU - Pfabigan, Daniela

AU - Dieckmann, Peter

AU - Neto, David

AU - Almeida, Pedro

AU - Gouveia, Maria João

AU - Quinteiro, Pedro

AU - Urzeala, Constanta

AU - Lemaignen, Juliette

AU - Chen, Kuan-chou

AU - Kulik, Keri

PY - 2021/10/6

Y1 - 2021/10/6

N2 - Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has initiated an upheaval in society and has been the cause of considerable stress during this period. Healthcare professionals have been on the front line during this health crisis, particularly paramedical staff. The aim of this study was to assess the high level of stress of healthcare workers during the first wave of the pandemic. Materials and methods: The COVISTRESS international study is a questionnaire disseminated online collecting demographic and stress-related data over the globe, during the pandemic. Stress levels were evaluated using non-calibrated visual analog scale, from 0 (no stress) to 100 (maximal stress). Results: Among the 13,537 individuals from 44 countries who completed the survey from January to June 2020, we included 10,051 workers (including 1379 healthcare workers, 631 medical doctors and 748 paramedical staff). The stress levels during the first wave of the pandemic were 57.8 ± 33 in the whole cohort, 65.3 ± 29.1 in medical doctors, and 73.6 ± 27.7 in paramedical staff. Healthcare professionals and especially paramedical staff had the highest levels of stress (p < 0.001 vs non-healthcare workers). Across all occupational categories, women had systematically significantly higher levels of work-related stress than men (p < 0.001). There was a negative correlation between age and stress level (r = -0.098, p < 0.001). Healthcare professionals demonstrated an increased risk of very-high stress levels (>80) compared to other workers (OR = 2.13, 95% CI 1.87–2.41). Paramedical staff risk for very-high levels of stress was higher than doctors’ (1.88, 1.50–2.34). The risk of high levels of stress also increased in women (1.83, 1.61–2.09; p < 0.001 vs. men) and in people aged <50 (1.45, 1.26–1.66; p < 0.001 vs. aged >50). Conclusions: The first wave of the pandemic was a major stressful event for healthcare workers, especially paramedical staff. Among individuals, women were the most at risk while age was a protective factor.

AB - Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has initiated an upheaval in society and has been the cause of considerable stress during this period. Healthcare professionals have been on the front line during this health crisis, particularly paramedical staff. The aim of this study was to assess the high level of stress of healthcare workers during the first wave of the pandemic. Materials and methods: The COVISTRESS international study is a questionnaire disseminated online collecting demographic and stress-related data over the globe, during the pandemic. Stress levels were evaluated using non-calibrated visual analog scale, from 0 (no stress) to 100 (maximal stress). Results: Among the 13,537 individuals from 44 countries who completed the survey from January to June 2020, we included 10,051 workers (including 1379 healthcare workers, 631 medical doctors and 748 paramedical staff). The stress levels during the first wave of the pandemic were 57.8 ± 33 in the whole cohort, 65.3 ± 29.1 in medical doctors, and 73.6 ± 27.7 in paramedical staff. Healthcare professionals and especially paramedical staff had the highest levels of stress (p < 0.001 vs non-healthcare workers). Across all occupational categories, women had systematically significantly higher levels of work-related stress than men (p < 0.001). There was a negative correlation between age and stress level (r = -0.098, p < 0.001). Healthcare professionals demonstrated an increased risk of very-high stress levels (>80) compared to other workers (OR = 2.13, 95% CI 1.87–2.41). Paramedical staff risk for very-high levels of stress was higher than doctors’ (1.88, 1.50–2.34). The risk of high levels of stress also increased in women (1.83, 1.61–2.09; p < 0.001 vs. men) and in people aged <50 (1.45, 1.26–1.66; p < 0.001 vs. aged >50). Conclusions: The first wave of the pandemic was a major stressful event for healthcare workers, especially paramedical staff. Among individuals, women were the most at risk while age was a protective factor.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85116537018&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0257840

DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0257840

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34614016

AN - SCOPUS:85116537018

SN - 1932-6203

VL - 16

JO - PLoS ONE

JF - PLoS ONE

IS - 10

M1 - e0257840

ER -

The major worldwide stress of healthcare professionals during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic – the international COVISTRESS survey

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UN SDGs

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