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The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on paramedics’ mental health in Greece

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 August 2021

L.E. Peppou ,
T. Giannouchos ,
M. Economou  and
A. Paschali
L.E. Peppou*
Affiliation:
First Department Of Psychiatry, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece Unit Of Social Psychiatry & Psychosocial Care, University Mental Health, Neurosciences and Precision Medicine Research Institute “Costas Stefanis” (UMHRI), Athens, Greece
T. Giannouchos
Affiliation:
Pharmacotherapy Outcomes Research Center, College Of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Utah, United States of America
M. Economou
Affiliation:
First Department Of Psychiatry, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece Unit Of Social Psychiatry & Psychosocial Care, University Mental Health, Neurosciences and Precision Medicine Research Institute “Costas Stefanis” (UMHRI), Athens, Greece
A. Paschali
Affiliation:
Faculty Of Nursing, Department Of Mental Health & Behavioral Sciences, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Converging evidence substantiates a negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of frontline workers. Nonetheless, there is paucity of research on paramedics.

Objectives

To estimate the prevalence of stress, anxiety and depression in frontline paramedics in the Athens region, Greece, and to investigate the coping skills that are associated with less favourable mental health outcomes

Methods

A total of 100 ambulance paramedics participated in the study. The online questionnaire encompassed the DASS-21 for assessing mental health outcomes and the Brief-COPE for measuring coping skills. Information about socio-demographic characteristics and personal/relatives’ vulnerability to COVID-19 was also gleaned.

Results

The prevalence for moderate to severe cases was found to be 7.2% for stress, 9.4% for anxiety and 11.3% for depression. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that men demonstrated significantly higher stress [B = -2.28, 95%CI = -3.88 - -0.68] and depression compared to women [B = -1.69, 95%CI = -3.19 - -0.19]. Similarly, the use of denial was found to be associated with higher stress [B = 0.69, 95%CI = 0.11 -1.37] and anxiety [B= 0.55, 95%CI = 0.13 – 0.98]. Moreover, emotional support was linked to heightened anxiety [B= 0.71, 95%CI = 0.36 – 1.06] and self-distraction to depression [B = 0.60, 95%CI = 0.16 – 1.04]. Personal or relatives’ vulnerability to COVID-19 did not impinge on mental health outcomes.

Conclusions

Healthcare initiatives should be tailored at the mental health needs of frontline paramedics, especially men. Psychosocial interventions should target maladaptive coping, especially the use of denial.

Keywords

coronavirusfrontline workerscommon mental disorderscoping skills
Type
Abstract
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 64 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 29th European Congress of Psychiatry , April 2021 , pp. S274
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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