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Download fileMorally injurious events and post-traumatic embitterment disorder in UK health and social care professionals during COVID-19: a cross-sectional web survey
journal contribution
posted on 2022-05-11, 14:42 authored by Chloe J Brennan, Michael McKay, Jon C ColeObjective: To estimate the prevalence and predictors of morally injurious events (MIEs) and post-traumatic embitterment disorder (PTED) in UK health and social care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Design: Cross-sectional study.
Setting: September-October 2020 in the UK. Online survey hosted on Qualtrics, and recruited through Prolific.
Participants: 400 health and social care workers, aged 18 or above and living and working in the UK during the pandemic.
Main outcome measures: MIEs were assessed using the Moral Injury Events Scale and PTED was assessed using the PTED self-rating scale. Potential predictors were measured using surveys of exposure to occupational stressors, optimism, self-esteem, resilient coping style, consideration of future consequences and personal belief in a just world.
Results: 19% of participants displayed clinical levels of PTED, and 73% experienced at least one COVID-related MIE. Exposure to occupational stressors increased the risk of experiencing PTED and MIEs, whereas personal belief in a procedurally just world, which is the belief that they experienced fair processes, was a protective mechanism.
Conclusions: MIEs and PTED are being experienced by UK health and social care professionals, particularly in those exposed to work-related stressors.
Funding
Economic and Social Research Council UK (ES/ P000665/1)
COVID-19 strategic funding from the University of Liverpool
History
Comments
The original article is available at https://bmjopen.bmj.com/Published Citation
Brennan CJ, McKay MT, Cole JC. Morally injurious events and post-traumatic embitterment disorder in UK health and social care professionals during COVID-19: a cross-sectional web survey. BMJ Open. 2022;12(5):e054062.Publication Date
6 May 2022External DOI
PubMed ID
35523494Department/Unit
- Health Psychology
Publisher
BMJ Publishing Group LtdVersion
- Published Version (Version of Record)