JAMA Netw Open

Study finds unexpected results about residents and PTSD during COVID

August 28, 2023

According to a cohort analysis, first-year residents reported less PTSD and workplace trauma exposure compared to residents in years prior. The study’s investigators concluded that work hours, workload, and medical errors are potential targets of intervention to prevent PTSD among residents.

• Participants from two cohorts – pre-pandemic and during pandemic – completed a baseline survey two months before beginning residency and followed up with quarterly surveys during their intern year. The fourth quarterly survey included the adapted Primary Care PTSD Screen for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition).
• Of the 3,814 residents enrolled in the study, 1,957 (943 [48.2%] female; mean [SD] age, 27.6 [2.6] years; 1137 [58.1%] pre-pandemic cohort; 820 [41.9%] during pandemic cohort) completed all surveys.
• Among non-residency related factors, only neuroticism was significantly higher among residents training during the pandemic vs. pre-pandemic residents (score mean difference [MD], 0.9; 95% CI, 0.1 to 1.7). Among residency-related factors, residents trained during the pandemic reported significantly lower weekly duty hours (MD, −3.1 hours; 95% CI, −4.1 to −2.0 hours), lower mean reports of medical errors (score MD, −0.04; 95% CI, −0.06 to −0.01), and higher workload satisfaction (score MD, 0.2; 95% CI, 0.2 to 0.3).
• Residents training during the pandemic were significantly less likely than pre-pandemic residents to screen positive for PTSD (58 [7.1%] vs 122 [10.7%] residents and workplace trauma exposure (418 [50.9%] vs 643 [56.6%] residents).

Source:

Ptak MK, et al. JAMA Netw Open. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Among First-Year Resident Physicians Working Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37606929/