Autor(es): Pedrosa, Bárbara ; Cardoso, Graca ; Lopes, Sofia Mucharreira De Azeredo ; Gonçalves-Pereira, M. ; Aluh, Deborah ; Grigaite, Ugne ; Santos-Dias, Margarida ; Silva, Manuela ; JM, Caldas-de-Almeida
Data: 2024
Identificador Persistente: http://hdl.handle.net/10362/171130
Origem: Repositório Institucional da UNL
Assunto(s): COVID-19; Serious mental disorders; Supported accommodations; Health Policy; Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health; SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
Funding Information: Funding for this study was provided by Funda\u00E7\u00E3o Ci\u00EAncia e Tecnologia, IP national support through CHRC (UIDP/04923/2020). Authors B\u00E1rbara Pedrosa, and Ugn\u0117 Grigait\u0117 are PhD candidates funded by Funda\u00E7\u00E3o para a Ci\u00EAncia e a Tecnologia (FCT) (UI/BD/151072/2021, and UI/BD/151073/2021, accordingly) and author Deborah Aluh is a PhD candidate funded by La Caixa Foundation (LCF/BQ/DI20/1178001). Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s).
Introduction: Few studies analysed the impact of COVID-19 on supported accommodations (SAs) for people with serious mental disorders. This study aimed to analyse staff’s assessments of work challenges in SAs during COVID-19, the impact of the pandemic on staff, their perception of the impact on residents, and associated factors. Methods: To assess work challenges and the impact of the pandemic on staff and their perception of the impact on residents, a questionnaire was administered to the staff of SAs. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were conducted, involving work challenges and staff’s sociodemographic characteristics, and impact on staff. Results: In total, 117 staff from 32 SAs responded. A challenging environment was felt by most participants (68.4%). There were significant differences in work challenges experienced by staff, namely, according to profession and years working in mental health. A negative impact of COVID-19 was reported by 26.5% of staff, which was associated with their feeling that residents were no longer getting an acceptable service (OR = 7.04, 95% CI [1.43, 34.65], p = 0.016) and with staff feeling at risk of infection at work (OR = 7.99, 95% CI [1.39, 45.86], p = 0.020). Relapse and deterioration of residents’ mental health were perceived by 43.6% of staff. Conclusions: Several work challenges occurred in SAs during COVID-19, which had a negative impact on staff and reportedly on residents. Implications range from the organisational to the clinical levels and may apply internationally and in similarly challenging situations.
