Studies warn of high levels of depression and suicidal ideation in Latin American health care workers during a pandemic-PAHO / WHO

PAHO promotes the protection of health care workers’ mental health and warns of the effects of ongoing pressure in the face of an increasing number of cases of COVID-19

Washington, DC, January 13, 2022 (PAHO)-Healthcare professionals in 11 Latin American countries have suffered from depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, and psychological distress, according to the results of a study led by the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO). It shows that the incidence of suicidal ideation is high. In collaboration with the University of Chile and Columbia University.

Report, COVID-19 Healthcare Works Research (HEROES) Shows that 14.7% to 22% of health care workers interviewed in 2020 showed symptoms consistent with depression episodes, and 5-15% of employees said they thought about suicide. The study also reports that in some countries, only about one-third of those who stated that they needed psychological care received it.

“Pandemic has increased the burden on health workers, and in countries where the health system has collapsed, staff have endured exhausted working days and ethical dilemmas that affect their mental health,” PAHO non-communicable. Anselm Hennis, director of sexual illness and mental health, said. “The pandemic isn’t over. It’s imperative to take care of the people who take care of us,” he emphasized.

HEROES consists of interviews with 14,502 healthcare professionals in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Uruguay, and scholars and studies from dozens of institutions in these countries. Participated.

The need for mental and financial support, concerns about family transmission, conflicts with the family of the infected person being cared for, and changes in normal duties affect the mental health of health care workers. The study said it was some of the main factors.

On the other hand, trusting that medical institutions and governments can deal with pandemics, with the help of colleagues, and considering themselves as spiritual or religious people have been mentioned as some of the protective factors.

“Pandemic has increased health care workers’ stress, anxiety and depression, revealing that countries have not developed specific policies to protect their health care workers’ mental health. This needs to be resolved. It’s a health defect, “says scholar Rubén Alvarado. He is one of the leading authors of mental health programs and research at the University of Chile School of Medicine.

This study highlights the urgency of developing specific policies and behaviors that can protect the mental health of health care workers. We recommend that you change your working environment to ensure proper working conditions. We also encourage you to provide adequate salaries, stable terms and conditions, and create a space where teams can discuss to reduce the burden and engage in self-care practices.

This document also seeks assistance provided to healthcare professionals to care for dependents of children and the elderly, given that they are mostly female and caregivers. We also recommend that you implement guidelines to protect the mental health of care facility staff and enable access to mental health services.

“Two years after the pandemic, many workers have not yet received the support they need, which can lead to a variety of mental illnesses in the coming years and requires preparation,” said Columbia University. Ezra Susser and the main researcher in another study.

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