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Abstract
Background
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused health problems and distress
among healthcare workers (HCWs), so supportive measures to promote their health and
relieve distress are needed.
Materials and Methods
We conducted two rounds of Delphi surveys with 20 COVID-19-related frontline healthcare
professionals and public officials. The surveys evaluated means of supporting HCWs’
health by improving health care systems and working environments in terms of effectiveness
and urgency. The validity of the measures was assessed by calculating the content
validity ratio.
Results
The top-priority measures to support HCWs were “secure isolation units capable of
treating severe cases” in the facility infrastructure category, “secure nursing staff
dedicated for patients in the intensive care units” in the personnel infrastructure
category, “improve communication between central office and frontline field” in the
cooperation system category, “support personal protective equipment and infection
control supplies” in the aid supplies category, and “realization of hazard pay” in
the physical/mental health and compensation category.
Conclusion
There was consensus among the experts on the validity and priorities of policies in
the facility, personnel, cooperation, supplies, and compensation categories regarding
measures to promote COVID-19 related HCWs’ health.
In December, 2019, a novel coronavirus outbreak of pneumonia emerged in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, 1 and has subsequently garnered attention around the world. 2 In the fight against the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), medical workers in Wuhan have been facing enormous pressure, including a high risk of infection and inadequate protection from contamination, overwork, frustration, discrimination, isolation, patients with negative emotions, a lack of contact with their families, and exhaustion. The severe situation is causing mental health problems such as stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, insomnia, denial, anger, and fear. These mental health problems not only affect the medical workers' attention, understanding, and decision making ability, which might hinder the fight against 2019-nCoV, but could also have a lasting effect on their overall wellbeing. Protecting the mental health of these medical workers is thus important for control of the epidemic and their own long-term health. The local government of Wuhan has implemented policies to address these mental health problems. Medical staff infected with 2019-nCoV while at work will be identified as having work-related injuries. 3 As of Jan 25, 2020, 1230 medical workers have been sent from other provinces to Wuhan to care for patients who are infected and those with suspected infection, strengthen logistics support, and help reduce the pressure on health-care personnel. 4 Most general hospitals in Wuhan have established a shift system to allow front-line medical workers to rest and to take turns in high-pressured roles. Online platforms with medical advice have been provided to share information on how to decrease the risk of transmission between the patients in medical settings, which aims to eventually reduce the pressure on medical workers. Psychological intervention teams have been set up by the RenMin Hospital of Wuhan University and Mental Health Center of Wuhan, which comprise four groups of health-care staff. Firstly, the psychosocial response team (composed of managers and press officers in the hospitals) coordinates the management team's work and publicity tasks. Secondly, the psychological intervention technical support team (composed of senior psychological intervention experts) is responsible for formulating psychological intervention materials and rules, and providing technical guidance and supervision. Thirdly, the psychological intervention medical team, who are mainly psychiatrists, participates in clinical psychological intervention for health-care workers and patients. Lastly, the psychological assistance hotline teams (composed of volunteers who have received psychological assistance training in dealing with the 2019-nCoV epidemic) provide telephone guidance to help deal with mental health problems. Hundreds of medical workers are receiving these interventions, with good response, and their provision is expanding to more people and hospitals. Understanding the mental health response after a public health emergency might help medical workers and communities prepare for a population's response to a disaster. 5 On Jan 27, 2020, the National Health Commission of China published a national guideline of psychological crisis intervention for 2019-nCoV. 4 This publication marks the first time that guidance to provide multifaceted psychological protection of the mental health of medical workers has been initiated in China. The experiences from this public health emergency should inform the efficiency and quality of future crisis intervention of the Chinese Government and authorities around the world.
Consensus methods such as the Delphi survey technique are being employed to help enhance effective decision-making in health and social care. The Delphi survey is a group facilitation technique, which is an iterative multistage process, designed to transform opinion into group consensus. It is a flexible approach, that is used commonly within the health and social sciences, yet little guidance exists to help researchers undertake this method of data collection. This paper aims to provide an understanding of the preparation, action steps and difficulties that are inherent within the Delphi. Used systematically and rigorously, the Delphi can contribute significantly to broadening knowledge within the nursing profession. However, careful thought must be given before using the method; there are key issues surrounding problem identification, researcher skills and data presentation that must be addressed. The paper does not claim to be definitive; it purports to act as a guide for those researchers who wish to exploit the Delphi methodology.
Publisher:
The Korean Society of Infectious Diseases; Korean Society for Antimicrobial Therapy;
The Korean Society for AIDS
ISSN
(Print):
2093-2340
ISSN
(Electronic):
2092-6448
Publication date
(Print):
June
2022
Publication date
(Electronic):
02
May
2022
Volume: 54
Issue: 2
Pages: 247-257
Affiliations
[1
]Department of Psychiatry, National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
[2
]Division of Health Administration, College of Software and Digital Healthcare Convergence,
Yonsei University, Wonju, Korea.
[3
]Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, National Medical
Center, Korea.
[4
]Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University,
Daegu, Korea.
[5
]Department of Infectious Diseases, Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National
University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.
[6
]Department of Hospital Medicine, Yongin Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College
of Medicine, Yongin, Korea.
[7
]Centers for Digital Health, Yongin Severance Hospital, Yonsei University Health System,
Yongin, Korea.
[8
]Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine and
Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea.
[9
]Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung
Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
[10
]Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine,
Jeju National University, Jeju, Korea.
[11
]Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine and
Hospital, Laboratory of Emergency Medical Services, Seoul National University Hospital
Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul, Korea.
[12
]Department of Health Administration, Dankook University, Cheonan, Korea.
[13
]Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National
University Chilgok Hospital, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu,
Korea.
Author notes
Corresponding Author: Ki Tae Kwon, MD, PhD. Division of Infectious Diseases, Kyungpook
National University Chilgok Hospital, 807 Hokuk-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu 41404, Korea. Tel:
+82-53-200-2616, Fax: +82-53-200-2027,
ktkwon@
123456knu.ac.kr
Corresponding Author: Jin-Won Noh, PhD. Division of Health Administration, College
of Software and Digital Healthcare Convergence, Yonsei University, 1, Yeonsedae-gil,
Heungeop-myeon, Wonju 26493, Gangwon-do, Korea. Tel: +82-33-760-2198; Fax: +82-33-760-2519,
jinwon.noh@
123456gmail.com
*These authors contributed this work as corresponding authors.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons
Attribution Non-Commercial License (
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in
any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
History
Date
received
: 02
December
2021
Date
accepted
: 03
April
2022
Funding
Funded by:
Korea Health Industry Development Institute, CrossRef https://doi.org/10.13039/501100003710;
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