High Psychological Impact of Covid‐19 on French Healthcare Workers
An Observational Cohort Study of PTSD, Depression and Burn‐Out
Bibliographic Data
INTRODUCTION: The Covid-19 outbreak hit the world forcing public institutions to rethink their core functioning. Healthcare workers (HCWs) were particularly at risk for negative mental health outcomes, given their direct exposure to many pandemic-related stressors. Our study aimed to assess the psychological outcomes of French HCWs during the Covid-19 pandemic, including PTSD, depression and burn-out. METHODS: This study presents the baseline data of a large cohort study conducted during the pandemic. Participants were 849 French HCWs (mostly single women, working as nurses) assessed for PTSD with the PCL-5 (PTSD Checklist for DSM-5), for depression with the PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire), and for burn-out and compassion satisfaction with the ProQOL (Professional Quality of Life). Other pandemic-related variables were also collected, including characteristics related to participants' Covid-19 experience, as well as psychological and clinical measures. RESULTS: The prevalence rates of PTSD, moderately severe depression, and high risk for burn-out were 17.7% (n = 146), 14.0% (n = 118) and 0.9% (n = 7), respectively. Further, findings suggested that working conditions were challenging, though they still found pride in their work. Univariate analyses showed that being a woman, not being a physician, and lacking protective equipment were each associated with higher scores on several negative psychological outcomes (PTSD, depression, burn-out and secondary traumatic stress), though not consistently across all dimensions. Notably, satisfaction scores on the ProQOL did not differ by gender and were higher among physicians. In the multivariate analyses, not being a physician was independently associated with higher levels of PTSD, depression and burn-out symptoms. Being a woman was independently associated with increased PTSD symptom severity. Higher levels of positivity-defined as a general tendency to view life and experiences with an optimistic and constructive outlook, as measured by the Positivity Scale-were associated with lower symptom scores across all three psychological outcomes. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the considerable psychological toll of the Covid-19 pandemic on French HCWs, particularly among nurses and women, and underscores the protective role of individual psychological resources such as positivity. As one of the largest cohort studies conducted during the pandemic in France, it provides critical evidence to guide public health strategies, institutional policies and mental health interventions. The findings emphasise the urgent need to strengthen occupational mental health support systems and to promote resilience-building approaches among healthcare professionals facing prolonged crisis conditions
Anxiety · Cohort · Depressive symptoms · Health care · Mental health · Pandemic · Patient Health Questionnaire · Psychiatry · Clinical Psychology · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout · Medicine · Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research · Internal Medicine
Healthcare Staff Wellbeing, Burnout, and Patient Safety
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Validating the SF-36 health survey questionnaire
Psychometric Validation of the English and French Versions of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)
Anxiety, depression, trauma-related, and sleep disorders among healthcare workers during the Covid-19 pandemic
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The psychological impact of Covid-19 on the mental health in the general population
The Positivity Scale.
Development and validation of a brief screening version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire
The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM‐5 (PCL‐5)
A Brief Measure for Assessing Generalized Anxiety Disorder
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The PHQ-9
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The consumption of psychoactive substances among French physicians
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Personal Safety during the Covid-19 Pandemic
Prevalence and influencing factors of occupational burnout among healthcare workers in the Chinese mainland during the late 2022 Omicron Covid-19 outbreak
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| Unique citing works | 2 |
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| Citations per year | 2 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |