The pandemic has put a significant toll on infection prevention professionals working in hospitals and other healthcare settings nationwide, according to a study published July 13 in the American Journal of Infection Control.
To understand the pandemic's physical and mental toll on infection prevention professionals, researchers from the Ohio State University in Columbus and the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology surveyed a random sample of 926 APIC members between July and August 2021.
Four survey findings:
1. Seventy-four percent of infection control professionals said COVID-19 has adversely affected their mental health, and 60 percent said the pandemic hurt their physical health.
2. Sixty-five percent reported burnout, 21.5 percent reported depression and 29.8 percent reported anxiety.
3. Few infection control professionals met recommended guidelines for sleep (34.1 percent), physical activity (18.8 percent) and fruit and vegetable intake (7.3 percent).
4. Infection preventionists who had shorter shift lengths and more workplace wellness support reported better well-being outcomes than those with longer shifts and no workplace wellness support, study authors said.
View the full study here.