Global well-being, anxiety, social isolation, and emotional support among hospitalists during COVID-19 and Mpox outbreaks.

OBJECTIVE

The Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic caused a decline in hospitalist wellness. The COVID-19 pandemic has evolved, and new outbreaks (i.e. Mpox) have challenged healthcare systems. The objective of the study was to assess changes in hospitalist wellness and guide interventions.

METHODS

We surveyed hospitalists (physicians and advanced practice providers [APPs]), in May 2021 and September 2022, at a healthcare system's 16 hospitals in four US states using PROMIS® measures for global well-being, anxiety, social isolation, and emotional support. We compared wellness score between survey periods; in the September 2022 survey, we compared wellness scores between APPs and physicians and evaluated the associations of demographic and hospital characteristics with wellness using logistic (global well-being) and linear (anxiety, social isolation, emotional support) regression models.

RESULTS

In May 2021 vs. September 2022, respondents showed no statistical difference in top global well-being for mental health (68.4% vs. 57.4%) and social activities and relationships (43.8% vs. 44.3%), anxiety (mean difference: +0.8), social isolation (mean difference: +0.5), and emotional support (mean difference: -1.0) (all, p ≥ 0.05). In September 2022, in logistic regression models, APPs, compared with physicians, had lower odds for top (excellent or very good) global well-being mental health (odds ratio [95% CI], 0.31 [0.13-0.76]; p < 0.05). In linear regression models, age <40 vs. ≥40 years was associated with higher anxiety (estimate ± standard error, 2.43 ± 1.05; p < 0.05), and concern about contracting COVID-19 at work was associated with higher anxiety (3.74 ± 1.10; p < 0.01) and social isolation (3.82 ± 1.21; p < 0.01). None of the characteristics showed association with change in emotional support. In September 2022, there was low concern for contracting Mpox in the community (4.6%) or at work (10.0%).

CONCLUSION

In hospitalists, concern about contracting COVID-19 at work was associated with higher anxiety and social isolation. The unchanged wellness scores between survey periods identified opportunities for intervention. Mpox had apparently minor impact on wellness.