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The continued rise in Corona cases in Spain after the holiday season has put a strain on hospitals again, threatening the mental health of doctors and nurses who have been at the forefront of the outbreak response for nearly a year.
At Barcelona’s Hospital del Mar, the capacity of the intensive care unit has doubled and is almost full, with coronavirus patients occupying 80% of the beds.
Dr Juan Ramón Masklins, head of the intensive care unit, said: “There are 20-year-olds and 80-year-olds, all age groups are present (in the care unit intensive). It’s very difficult. The patient is next to each other. “
From the intensive care unit of a Barcelona hospital, where he treats Corona patients
Although Spanish authorities have allowed gatherings of up to 10 people to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve, Masklins chose not to join his family and spent the holidays at home with his partner.
Regarding this, he said, “We have done this to preserve our health and the health of others, but when you see that others do not do the same, this matter causes you great anger, besides fatigue. “
A study published this month by Hospital Del Mar, examining the impact of an increase in Corona infections in the spring on more than 9,000 health workers across Spain, found that at least 28% suffered from depression strict. This is six times higher than the rate prevailing in the general population before the epidemic, according to Dr Jordi Alonso, one of the leading researchers.
In addition, the study found that almost half of the participants were at high risk for anxiety, PTSD, panic attacks, or drug and alcohol abuse problems.
From the intensive care unit of a Barcelona hospital, where he treats Corona patients
And Spanish healthcare workers were not the only ones suffering psychologically from the outbreak.
In China, levels of mental disorders among doctors and nurses were even higher, with rates of depression reported at 50%, anxiety at 45%, and insomnia at 34%, according to the World Organization for Human Rights. health.
And in the UK, a survey released by the Royal College of Physicians last week showed 64% of doctors said they felt tired or exhausted. One in four asked for mental health support.
Dr Andrew Goddard, President of the Royal College of Physicians, said in a statement accompanying the recently published study: “It’s horrible in the medical world right now. That light seems to be a long way off.”
And in Spain, many health workers are reluctant to seek help because they believe it will make them unfit for employment. “In our profession we can do a lot of things. We do not want to take any time off because we know that we will increase the workload of our colleagues”, said David Oliver, spokesperson for the Catalan branch of the Satsi Nurses Association.
According to the Spanish study, the most affected group among health workers were auxiliary nurses and nurses, mostly women and immigrants. This group spends more time with dying Covid-19 patients, faces poor working conditions and wages, and is afraid of passing the infection on to family members. To prevent infection, patients are rarely allowed to visit their families, which increases their dependence on nurses.
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