Workers' Wellbeing During the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Scoping Review.

Abstract

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in December 2019 marked the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to widespread global health crises and necessitating unprecedented measures, including lockdowns and restrictions. This paper presents a scoping review of the literature to explore the multifaceted impact of the pandemic on workers' wellbeing.

To explore this topic, a scoping review was conducted. The study adhered to the JBI and PRIMSA Extension for Scoping Review Framework. An inclusive search strategy to identify all articles that investigated mental health and wellbeing was initially carried out. The searches identified 6,952 papers, with 1,091 duplicates removed. After title and abstract screening based on predefined criteria, 2,237 articles were excluded. The remaining 3,624 underwent full-text screening, leading to the exclusion of 3,128 articles. Ultimately, 496 articles were included, and a focused analysis on a subset of 25 articles addressing wellbeing outcomes among workers during the COVID-19 pandemic will be presented in this review.

With a global perspective, the study reveals diverse contributions, including 32% of studies originating from the United States, and notable concentrations in Italy (12%) and the UK (12%). Healthcare workers (HCWs) constitute 84% of the professions studied, with nurses (40%) and doctors/physicians/advanced practice providers (36%) being prominent. The methodologies employed encompass a cross-sectional study design and online self-administered questionnaires in all articles. The majority of participants are female (72%), and journal quartiles indicate 64% in Q1. Wellbeing measurement tools, predominantly the WHO wellbeing index (WHO-5), and online self-administered questionnaires are consistently utilized.

In light of the findings, this study provides recommendations to address gaps in the existing research. Longitudinal studies are crucial to capture the evolving nature of these impacts over time. Additionally, expanding the scope of participant representation can advance the understanding of the complex psychological challenges faced by workers during the pandemic.