TY - JOUR
T1 - Stress and mental health of COVID-19 survivors and their families after hospital discharge: relationship with perceived healthcare staff empathy
AU - Bassi, Marta
AU - Bassi, Marco
AU - Carissoli, Claudia
AU - Tonelli, Francesca
AU - Trombetta, Lucia
AU - Magenta, Marina
AU - Delle Fave, Antonella
AU - Cogliati, Chiara
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Several studies attest to the long-term consequences of COVID-19 infection on survivors’ mental illness, especially in terms of high prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 1–3 months after hospitalization. Aims of the present study were (1) to jointly evaluate PTSD and positive mental health among COVID-19 survivors and family members after hospital discharge, and (2) to investigate the relationship between perceived healthcare staff’s relational empathy during hospitalization and survivors’ post-traumatic stress levels. In this cross-sectional study, 60 survivors (Mage = 60.45; 63.3% men) and 40 family members (Mage = 52.33; 60% women) participated in an online survey 3–7 months after hospital discharge. In addition to providing socio-demographic data, they completed PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 and Mental Health Continuum Short Form. Survivors also completed the Consultation and Relational Empathy measure. Percentages of participants meeting a provisional PTSD and mental health diagnosis (flourishing, moderate, languishing) were calculated. A hierarchical regression analysis was performed on survivors’ data, with perceived staff’s empathy as predictor and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) as outcome. One-fifth of the participants received a provisional PTSD diagnosis, about half were diagnosed with flourishing or moderate mental health, and only 5% were languishing, with no significant between-group differences. Among survivors, a negative association was detected between perceived healthcare staff’s empathy and PTSS, explaining 10.5% of the model variance over and above demographic and clinical variables. Findings highlighted the coexistence of PTSD and positive mental health among survivors and family members, suggesting the usefulness of assessing both negative and positive dimensions of mental health, in order to promote psycho-social adaptation once returning to everyday life. In addition, the role of compassionate care in clinical practice emerged as a potential means to mitigate severe traumatic reactions among survivors.
AB - Several studies attest to the long-term consequences of COVID-19 infection on survivors’ mental illness, especially in terms of high prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 1–3 months after hospitalization. Aims of the present study were (1) to jointly evaluate PTSD and positive mental health among COVID-19 survivors and family members after hospital discharge, and (2) to investigate the relationship between perceived healthcare staff’s relational empathy during hospitalization and survivors’ post-traumatic stress levels. In this cross-sectional study, 60 survivors (Mage = 60.45; 63.3% men) and 40 family members (Mage = 52.33; 60% women) participated in an online survey 3–7 months after hospital discharge. In addition to providing socio-demographic data, they completed PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 and Mental Health Continuum Short Form. Survivors also completed the Consultation and Relational Empathy measure. Percentages of participants meeting a provisional PTSD and mental health diagnosis (flourishing, moderate, languishing) were calculated. A hierarchical regression analysis was performed on survivors’ data, with perceived staff’s empathy as predictor and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) as outcome. One-fifth of the participants received a provisional PTSD diagnosis, about half were diagnosed with flourishing or moderate mental health, and only 5% were languishing, with no significant between-group differences. Among survivors, a negative association was detected between perceived healthcare staff’s empathy and PTSS, explaining 10.5% of the model variance over and above demographic and clinical variables. Findings highlighted the coexistence of PTSD and positive mental health among survivors and family members, suggesting the usefulness of assessing both negative and positive dimensions of mental health, in order to promote psycho-social adaptation once returning to everyday life. In addition, the role of compassionate care in clinical practice emerged as a potential means to mitigate severe traumatic reactions among survivors.
KW - COVID-19
KW - COVID-19 survivors
KW - patients’ families
KW - positive mental health
KW - post-traumatic stress disorder
KW - relational empathy
KW - COVID-19
KW - COVID-19 survivors
KW - patients’ families
KW - positive mental health
KW - post-traumatic stress disorder
KW - relational empathy
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/272739
U2 - 10.1080/13548506.2021.2019811
DO - 10.1080/13548506.2021.2019811
M3 - Article
SN - 1354-8506
VL - 28
SP - 48
EP - 59
JO - PSYCHOLOGY, HEALTH & MEDICINE
JF - PSYCHOLOGY, HEALTH & MEDICINE
ER -