The use of peer support groups for emergency physicians during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Abstract Objective To test the feasibility, receptivity, and preliminary effectiveness of peer support groups for emergency medicine physicians during the COVID‐19 pandemic and gain a better understanding of their experiences with peer support. Methods This pilot study used a quasi‐experimental desi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians Open |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/emp2.12897 |
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| author | Jill Nault Connors Tanner Thornsberry Julie Hayden Kurt Kroenke Patrick O. Monahan Claire Draucker Sally Wasmuth Heather Kelker Anne Whitehead Julie Welch |
| author_facet | Jill Nault Connors Tanner Thornsberry Julie Hayden Kurt Kroenke Patrick O. Monahan Claire Draucker Sally Wasmuth Heather Kelker Anne Whitehead Julie Welch |
| author_sort | Jill Nault Connors |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objective To test the feasibility, receptivity, and preliminary effectiveness of peer support groups for emergency medicine physicians during the COVID‐19 pandemic and gain a better understanding of their experiences with peer support. Methods This pilot study used a quasi‐experimental design to assess change in symptoms of distress, anxiety, depression and burn‐out before and after participating in a virtual, group‐based peer support intervention for a duration of 8 weeks. Pre‐post change analyses were performed using two‐sided, paired t tests. Feasibility was measured by attendance data to demonstrate the use of the intervention. Receptivity was measured using a global change rating and net promoter score at the end of each session and 8‐week period, respectively. During the final session, qualitative data on physician experience was collected and then analyzed using conventional content analysis. Results Twenty‐four emergency medicine physicians participated in the pilot study. The attendance goal was met by 20 (24, 83%) physicians and 19 (22, 86%) physicians reported they would recommend peer support groups to a friend of colleague. Positive standardized response mean effect sizes indicated modest improvement in nine of 12 symptom measurements with marginal significance (p < 0.10) for improvement in guilt [20, Effect Size (ES) = 0.45] and depression (21, ES = 0.39). Qualitative findings revealed high overall benefit with few adverse impacts of participation. Conclusions Results demonstrate high physician receptivity, feasibility, and benefit from participation in peer support groups. Promising signs of improvement in distress, anxiety, depression, and burn out symptoms warrant additional studies with larger sample sizes and more robust research designs to establish the evidence base for peer support in the physician population. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-df0d61828bed4081b9488a23aeb2a937 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2688-1152 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-df0d61828bed4081b9488a23aeb2a9372025-08-20T03:26:16ZengElsevierJournal of the American College of Emergency Physicians Open2688-11522023-02-0141n/an/a10.1002/emp2.12897The use of peer support groups for emergency physicians during the COVID‐19 pandemicJill Nault Connors0Tanner Thornsberry1Julie Hayden2Kurt Kroenke3Patrick O. Monahan4Claire Draucker5Sally Wasmuth6Heather Kelker7Anne Whitehead8Julie Welch9Department of Surgery Indiana University School of Medicine Indianapolis Indiana USADepartment of Surgery Indiana University School of Medicine Indianapolis Indiana USANational Alliance on Mental Illness of Greater Indianapolis, Inc Indianapolis Indiana USADepartment of Medicine Indiana University School of Medicine Indianapolis Indiana USADepartment of Biostatistics and Health Data Science Indiana University School of Medicine Indianapolis Indiana USAIndiana University School of Nursing Indianapolis Indiana USASchool of Health & Human Sciences Indiana University‐Purdue University at Indianapolis Indianapolis Indiana USADepartment of Emergency Medicine Indiana University School of Medicine Indianapolis Indiana USADepartment of Emergency Medicine Indiana University School of Medicine Indianapolis Indiana USADepartment of Emergency Medicine Indiana University School of Medicine Indianapolis Indiana USAAbstract Objective To test the feasibility, receptivity, and preliminary effectiveness of peer support groups for emergency medicine physicians during the COVID‐19 pandemic and gain a better understanding of their experiences with peer support. Methods This pilot study used a quasi‐experimental design to assess change in symptoms of distress, anxiety, depression and burn‐out before and after participating in a virtual, group‐based peer support intervention for a duration of 8 weeks. Pre‐post change analyses were performed using two‐sided, paired t tests. Feasibility was measured by attendance data to demonstrate the use of the intervention. Receptivity was measured using a global change rating and net promoter score at the end of each session and 8‐week period, respectively. During the final session, qualitative data on physician experience was collected and then analyzed using conventional content analysis. Results Twenty‐four emergency medicine physicians participated in the pilot study. The attendance goal was met by 20 (24, 83%) physicians and 19 (22, 86%) physicians reported they would recommend peer support groups to a friend of colleague. Positive standardized response mean effect sizes indicated modest improvement in nine of 12 symptom measurements with marginal significance (p < 0.10) for improvement in guilt [20, Effect Size (ES) = 0.45] and depression (21, ES = 0.39). Qualitative findings revealed high overall benefit with few adverse impacts of participation. Conclusions Results demonstrate high physician receptivity, feasibility, and benefit from participation in peer support groups. Promising signs of improvement in distress, anxiety, depression, and burn out symptoms warrant additional studies with larger sample sizes and more robust research designs to establish the evidence base for peer support in the physician population.https://doi.org/10.1002/emp2.12897peer supportphysician wellnessphysician mental health |
| spellingShingle | Jill Nault Connors Tanner Thornsberry Julie Hayden Kurt Kroenke Patrick O. Monahan Claire Draucker Sally Wasmuth Heather Kelker Anne Whitehead Julie Welch The use of peer support groups for emergency physicians during the COVID‐19 pandemic Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians Open peer support physician wellness physician mental health |
| title | The use of peer support groups for emergency physicians during the COVID‐19 pandemic |
| title_full | The use of peer support groups for emergency physicians during the COVID‐19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | The use of peer support groups for emergency physicians during the COVID‐19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | The use of peer support groups for emergency physicians during the COVID‐19 pandemic |
| title_short | The use of peer support groups for emergency physicians during the COVID‐19 pandemic |
| title_sort | use of peer support groups for emergency physicians during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | peer support physician wellness physician mental health |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/emp2.12897 |
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