uc irvine school of nursing study finds non-healthcare essential workers experienced most stress

While essential workers of all kinds experienced high levels of psychosocial distress during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, a nursing-led study has found that non-healthcare essential workers bore the brunt.

In March and April 2020, lead author Dana Rose Garfin and her team assessed 1,821 self-identified essential workers working in face-to-face interaction across the country for acute stress, health-related concerns, and physical functioning.

In all categories, the signs of distress increased over time.

Garfin, an adjunct assistant professor at the UCI Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing and the UCI Program in Public Health, says part of the findings may be explained by the fact that during the early days, healthcare workers were able to focus on addressing the public’s pre-vaccine fears about contracting COVID.

“These findings really speak to the value that a lot of healthcare professionals get out of what they’re doing,” she says.

“If people felt like they were making a contribution, it may have helped them fare better during a difficult time.”

Disparities between types of essential workers

Her team’s findings also shed light on the significant disparities between non-healthcare and healthcare essential workers in terms of safety protocols, training and overall risk.

Although supply shortages occurred in healthcare settings as well, compared to non-healthcare settings, there may have been greater access to safety equipment and protocols and the latest information about COVID-19.

The researchers also examined demographics, secondary stressors such as lack of childcare or lost wages, and pre-COVID mental and physical health as predictors of psychological outcomes and found a strong association. Being young, Hispanic or female were also linked with higher levels of acute stress among all those studied.

“Younger people were more distressed, even though they were at lower risk of contracting COVID,” Garfin says. Furthermore, “Social disruption has affected the mental health of young people.”

Implications for coping with future large-scale events

Garfin’s findings will have implications as society contends with an increasing number of large- scale traumatic events, such as wildfires, heat waves and pandemics.

“We are going to have to address how people can cope with disasters no matter what setting they’re in,” she says.

“Many people will be on the front lines of these disruptive and traumatic events, and we need to make sure their psychological needs are supported.”

Garfin suggests a two-pronged approach. On one side are employers, who can take steps to ensure their workers feel valued and find meaning in what they do.

“There are a lot of implications for improved organizational culture,” she says. “Even if people are doing difficult work, they may fare better if they feel their work has meaning and value.” On the other side is a regimen of self-care and an understanding that one’s response to stress is not a one-size-fits-all experience.

For some people, that may involve activities such as exercise or yoga. But it doesn’t have to involve moving, either.

“The most important thing is accessing the things you find comforting and trying to participate in those. It’s about doing what helps you feel calmer, whether it’s talking to a friend or taking a night to yourself.”

Garfin’s co-authors are UC Santa Barbara doctoral student Lindita Djokovic, UCI Vice Provost of Academic Planning and Distinguished Professor Roxane Cohen Silver and nursing Professor E. Alison Holman. The study was funded by a National Science Foundation RAPID grant.

Support the UCI Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing: For more information, to support a future nurse or nurse-led research, please connect to Juliana Goswick, Director of Development at jgoswick@hs.uci.edu.

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UCI, visit www.uci.edu