@article{discovery10118527, note = {Copyright {\copyright} 2020 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor \& Francis Group. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.}, publisher = {TAYLOR \& FRANCIS LTD}, volume = {11}, year = {2020}, title = {The prevalence of common and stress-related mental health disorders in healthcare workers based in pandemic-affected hospitals: a rapid systematic review and meta-analysis}, journal = {European Journal of Psychotraumatology}, number = {1}, abstract = {Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are considered at elevated risk of experiencing mental health disorders in working with patients with COVID-19. / Objective: To estimate the prevalence of common mental health disorders in HCWs based in hospitals where pandemic-affected patients were treated. / Method: Databases were searched for studies published before 30 March 2020. Quantitative synthesis was used to obtain estimates of the prevalence of mental health disorders in four time windows, determined a priori (the acute phase, i.e. during and up to 1.5 months post-pandemic; 1.5-5.9 months; 6-11.9 months; 12 months and later). / Results: Nineteen studies met the review criteria. They predominantly addressed the acute phase of the SARS outbreak in Asia. The most studied outcomes were clinically significant post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and general psychiatric caseness. For clinically significant PTSS in the acute phase, the prevalence estimate was 23.4\% (95\% CI 16.3, 31.2; N = 4147; I2 = 96.2\%); in the 12 months plus window, the estimate was 11.9\% (8.4, 15.8; N = 1136; I2 = 74.3\%). For general psychiatric caseness, prevalence estimates were acute phase, 34.1\% (18.7, 51.4; N = 3971; I2 = 99.1\%); 6-12 months, 17.9\% (13.1, 23.2; N = 223; I2 = 0.0\%); 12 months plus, 29.3\% (6.0, 61.0; N = 710; I2 = 97.8\%). No differences between doctors and nurses with respective to PTSS and general psychiatric caseness were apparent in the acute phase. / Conclusions: Mental health disorders are particularly common in HCWs working with pandemic-afflicted patients immediately following a pandemic, but the course of disorders following this period is poorly understood. There was considerable heterogeneity between studies, likely linked to methodological differences. More extended follow up of HCWs is needed.}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2020.1810903}, author = {Allan, SM and Bealey, R and Birch, J and Cushing, T and Parke, S and Sergi, G and Bloomfield, M and Meiser-Stedman, R}, keywords = {PTSD, depression, anxiety, healthcare workers, pandemic, COVID-19} }