Factors modulating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on posttraumatic stress symptomatology of the Spanish healthcare workers: A cohort study.

<h4>Introduction</h4>The COVID-19 pandemic generated a global health crisis that significantly impacted healthcare systems and professionals. Healthcare workers were exposed to high levels of psychological distress, including posttraumatic stress symptomatology (PTSS).<h4>Aim</h...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Beatriz Arregui-Gallego, María Isabel Orts-Cortés, María Teresa Moreno-Casbas, Eva Abad-Corpa, Rafaela Camacho-Bejarano, Mª Ángeles Cidoncha-Moreno, Isabel Feria-Raposo, Javier Iruzubieta-Barragán, Montserrat Carmona, Estíbaliz Cristóbal-Domínguez, Leticia Bernués-Caudillo, Elvira Casado-Ramírez, Alda Recas-Martin, Dolores Sánchez-López, M Consuelo Company-Sancho, Noelia López Rascón, Silvia Esteban-Sepúlveda, María Clara Vidal-Thomàs, Isabel Alonso, Daniel Muñoz-Jiménez, José Vicente Segura-Heras, Joaquín Moncho, Manuel Rich-Ruiz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0323777
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850117764459528192
author Beatriz Arregui-Gallego
María Isabel Orts-Cortés
María Teresa Moreno-Casbas
Eva Abad-Corpa
Rafaela Camacho-Bejarano
Mª Ángeles Cidoncha-Moreno
Isabel Feria-Raposo
Javier Iruzubieta-Barragán
Montserrat Carmona
Estíbaliz Cristóbal-Domínguez
Leticia Bernués-Caudillo
Elvira Casado-Ramírez
Alda Recas-Martin
Dolores Sánchez-López
M Consuelo Company-Sancho
Noelia López Rascón
Silvia Esteban-Sepúlveda
María Clara Vidal-Thomàs
Isabel Alonso
Daniel Muñoz-Jiménez
José Vicente Segura-Heras
Joaquín Moncho
Manuel Rich-Ruiz
author_facet Beatriz Arregui-Gallego
María Isabel Orts-Cortés
María Teresa Moreno-Casbas
Eva Abad-Corpa
Rafaela Camacho-Bejarano
Mª Ángeles Cidoncha-Moreno
Isabel Feria-Raposo
Javier Iruzubieta-Barragán
Montserrat Carmona
Estíbaliz Cristóbal-Domínguez
Leticia Bernués-Caudillo
Elvira Casado-Ramírez
Alda Recas-Martin
Dolores Sánchez-López
M Consuelo Company-Sancho
Noelia López Rascón
Silvia Esteban-Sepúlveda
María Clara Vidal-Thomàs
Isabel Alonso
Daniel Muñoz-Jiménez
José Vicente Segura-Heras
Joaquín Moncho
Manuel Rich-Ruiz
author_sort Beatriz Arregui-Gallego
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Introduction</h4>The COVID-19 pandemic generated a global health crisis that significantly impacted healthcare systems and professionals. Healthcare workers were exposed to high levels of psychological distress, including posttraumatic stress symptomatology (PTSS).<h4>Aim</h4>Analyse the evolution of PTSS among Spanish healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify associated factors.<h4>Method</h4>A multicenter prospective cohort study with a 12-month follow-up was conducted. PTSS was the primary outcome. Secondary variables included sociodemographic, occupational, psychological, and coping-related factors. Statistical analyses comprised bivariate comparisons and multivariate modelling, such as generalized linear models and linear mixed models.<h4>Results</h4>Of the 428 participants, 180 completed the 12-month follow-up. At baseline, changes in work posts, negative family-work relations, avoidant coping, burnout symptoms, and emotional intelligence were associated with PTSS levels. Linear mixed models showed a significant decrease in PTSS over the 12-month period, regardless of gender, age, household type, occupational role, contract type, job title, level of care or type of service (p < 0.001). The generalised linear model explained 25.5% of the variance in PTSS levels at baseline, highlighting the role of psychological and coping factors over sociodemographic or occupational characteristics.<h4>Conclusions</h4>This study highlights the need for early identification and intervention focused on psychological and coping mechanisms. Promoting emotional regulation, reducing burnout, and addressing maladaptive coping may help mitigate long-term psychological effects among healthcare workers during public health crises.
format Article
id doaj-art-6b915d2cb79f46a6b8d43e27b83a710b
institution OA Journals
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-6b915d2cb79f46a6b8d43e27b83a710b2025-08-20T02:36:02ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01206e032377710.1371/journal.pone.0323777Factors modulating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on posttraumatic stress symptomatology of the Spanish healthcare workers: A cohort study.Beatriz Arregui-GallegoMaría Isabel Orts-CortésMaría Teresa Moreno-CasbasEva Abad-CorpaRafaela Camacho-BejaranoMª Ángeles Cidoncha-MorenoIsabel Feria-RaposoJavier Iruzubieta-BarragánMontserrat CarmonaEstíbaliz Cristóbal-DomínguezLeticia Bernués-CaudilloElvira Casado-RamírezAlda Recas-MartinDolores Sánchez-LópezM Consuelo Company-SanchoNoelia López RascónSilvia Esteban-SepúlvedaMaría Clara Vidal-ThomàsIsabel AlonsoDaniel Muñoz-JiménezJosé Vicente Segura-HerasJoaquín MonchoManuel Rich-Ruiz<h4>Introduction</h4>The COVID-19 pandemic generated a global health crisis that significantly impacted healthcare systems and professionals. Healthcare workers were exposed to high levels of psychological distress, including posttraumatic stress symptomatology (PTSS).<h4>Aim</h4>Analyse the evolution of PTSS among Spanish healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify associated factors.<h4>Method</h4>A multicenter prospective cohort study with a 12-month follow-up was conducted. PTSS was the primary outcome. Secondary variables included sociodemographic, occupational, psychological, and coping-related factors. Statistical analyses comprised bivariate comparisons and multivariate modelling, such as generalized linear models and linear mixed models.<h4>Results</h4>Of the 428 participants, 180 completed the 12-month follow-up. At baseline, changes in work posts, negative family-work relations, avoidant coping, burnout symptoms, and emotional intelligence were associated with PTSS levels. Linear mixed models showed a significant decrease in PTSS over the 12-month period, regardless of gender, age, household type, occupational role, contract type, job title, level of care or type of service (p < 0.001). The generalised linear model explained 25.5% of the variance in PTSS levels at baseline, highlighting the role of psychological and coping factors over sociodemographic or occupational characteristics.<h4>Conclusions</h4>This study highlights the need for early identification and intervention focused on psychological and coping mechanisms. Promoting emotional regulation, reducing burnout, and addressing maladaptive coping may help mitigate long-term psychological effects among healthcare workers during public health crises.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0323777
spellingShingle Beatriz Arregui-Gallego
María Isabel Orts-Cortés
María Teresa Moreno-Casbas
Eva Abad-Corpa
Rafaela Camacho-Bejarano
Mª Ángeles Cidoncha-Moreno
Isabel Feria-Raposo
Javier Iruzubieta-Barragán
Montserrat Carmona
Estíbaliz Cristóbal-Domínguez
Leticia Bernués-Caudillo
Elvira Casado-Ramírez
Alda Recas-Martin
Dolores Sánchez-López
M Consuelo Company-Sancho
Noelia López Rascón
Silvia Esteban-Sepúlveda
María Clara Vidal-Thomàs
Isabel Alonso
Daniel Muñoz-Jiménez
José Vicente Segura-Heras
Joaquín Moncho
Manuel Rich-Ruiz
Factors modulating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on posttraumatic stress symptomatology of the Spanish healthcare workers: A cohort study.
PLoS ONE
title Factors modulating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on posttraumatic stress symptomatology of the Spanish healthcare workers: A cohort study.
title_full Factors modulating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on posttraumatic stress symptomatology of the Spanish healthcare workers: A cohort study.
title_fullStr Factors modulating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on posttraumatic stress symptomatology of the Spanish healthcare workers: A cohort study.
title_full_unstemmed Factors modulating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on posttraumatic stress symptomatology of the Spanish healthcare workers: A cohort study.
title_short Factors modulating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on posttraumatic stress symptomatology of the Spanish healthcare workers: A cohort study.
title_sort factors modulating the impact of the covid 19 pandemic on posttraumatic stress symptomatology of the spanish healthcare workers a cohort study
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0323777
work_keys_str_mv AT beatrizarreguigallego factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT mariaisabelortscortes factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT mariateresamorenocasbas factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT evaabadcorpa factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT rafaelacamachobejarano factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT maangelescidonchamoreno factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT isabelferiaraposo factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT javieriruzubietabarragan factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT montserratcarmona factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT estibalizcristobaldominguez factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT leticiabernuescaudillo factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT elviracasadoramirez factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT aldarecasmartin factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT doloressanchezlopez factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT mconsuelocompanysancho factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT noelialopezrascon factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT silviaestebansepulveda factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT mariaclaravidalthomas factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT isabelalonso factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT danielmunozjimenez factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT josevicenteseguraheras factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT joaquinmoncho factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy
AT manuelrichruiz factorsmodulatingtheimpactofthecovid19pandemiconposttraumaticstresssymptomatologyofthespanishhealthcareworkersacohortstudy