TY - JOUR
T1 - Inequality on the frontline
T2 - A multi-country study on gender differences in mental health among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
AU - Czepiel, Diana
AU - McCormack, Clare
AU - Da Silva, Andréa T.C.
AU - Seblova, Dominika
AU - Moro, Maria F.
AU - Restrepo-Henao, Alexandra
AU - Martínez, Adriana M.
AU - Afolabi, Oyeyemi
AU - Alnasser, Lubna
AU - Alvarado, Rubén
AU - Asaoka, Hiroki
AU - Ayinde, Olatunde
AU - Balalian, Arin
AU - Ballester, Dinarte
AU - Barathie, Josleen A.L.
AU - Basagoitia, Armando
AU - Basic, Djordje
AU - Burrone, María S.
AU - Carta, Mauro G.
AU - Durand-Arias, Sol
AU - Eskin, Mehmet
AU - Fernández-Jiménez, Eduardo
AU - Frey, Marcela I.F.
AU - Gureje, Oye
AU - Isahakyan, Anna
AU - Jaldo, Rodrigo
AU - Karam, Elie G.
AU - Khattech, Dorra
AU - Lindert, Jutta
AU - Martínez-Alés, Gonzalo
AU - Mascayano, Franco
AU - Mediavilla, Roberto
AU - Narvaez Gonzalez, Javier A.
AU - Nasser-Karam, Aimee
AU - Nishi, Daisuke
AU - Olaopa, Olusegun
AU - Ouali, Uta
AU - Puac-Polanco, Victor
AU - Ramírez, Dorian E.
AU - Ramírez, Jorge
AU - Rivera-Segarra, Eliut
AU - Rutten, Bart P.F.
AU - Santaella-Tenorio, Julian
AU - Sapag, Jaime C.
AU - Šeblová, Jana
AU - Soto, María T.S.
AU - Tavares-Cavalcanti, Maria
AU - Valeri, Linda
AU - Sijbrandij, Marit
AU - Susser, Ezra S.
AU - Hoek, Hans W.
AU - Van Der Ven, Els
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press.
PY - 2024/3/4
Y1 - 2024/3/4
N2 - Healthcare workers (HCWs) were at increased risk for mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic, with prior data suggesting women may be particularly vulnerable. Our global mental health study aimed to examine factors associated with gender differences in psychological distress and depressive symptoms among HCWs during COVID-19. Across 22 countries in South America, Europe, Asia and Africa, 32,410 HCWs participated in the COVID-19 HEalth caRe wOrkErS (HEROES) study between March 2020 and February 2021. They completed the General Health Questionnaire-12, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and questions about pandemic-relevant exposures. Consistently across countries, women reported elevated mental health problems compared to men. Women also reported increased COVID-19-relevant stressors, including insufficient personal protective equipment and less support from colleagues, while men reported increased contact with COVID-19 patients. At the country level, HCWs in countries with higher gender inequality reported less mental health problems. Higher COVID-19 mortality rates were associated with increased psychological distress merely among women. Our findings suggest that among HCWs, women may have been disproportionately exposed to COVID-19-relevant stressors at the individual and country level. This highlights the importance of considering gender in emergency response efforts to safeguard women's well-being and ensure healthcare system preparedness during future public health crises.
AB - Healthcare workers (HCWs) were at increased risk for mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic, with prior data suggesting women may be particularly vulnerable. Our global mental health study aimed to examine factors associated with gender differences in psychological distress and depressive symptoms among HCWs during COVID-19. Across 22 countries in South America, Europe, Asia and Africa, 32,410 HCWs participated in the COVID-19 HEalth caRe wOrkErS (HEROES) study between March 2020 and February 2021. They completed the General Health Questionnaire-12, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and questions about pandemic-relevant exposures. Consistently across countries, women reported elevated mental health problems compared to men. Women also reported increased COVID-19-relevant stressors, including insufficient personal protective equipment and less support from colleagues, while men reported increased contact with COVID-19 patients. At the country level, HCWs in countries with higher gender inequality reported less mental health problems. Higher COVID-19 mortality rates were associated with increased psychological distress merely among women. Our findings suggest that among HCWs, women may have been disproportionately exposed to COVID-19-relevant stressors at the individual and country level. This highlights the importance of considering gender in emergency response efforts to safeguard women's well-being and ensure healthcare system preparedness during future public health crises.
KW - COVID-19
KW - healthcare workers
KW - gender differences
KW - healthcare disparities
KW - mental health
KW - cross-country
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85204162733
U2 - 10.1017/gmh.2024.18
DO - 10.1017/gmh.2024.18
M3 - Article
C2 - 38572248
SN - 2054-4251
VL - 11
SP - 1
EP - 12
JO - Global mental health (Cambridge, England)
JF - Global mental health (Cambridge, England)
M1 - e34
ER -
SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG 5 Gender Equality