The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unequally distributed extra workload to hospital personnel and first reports have indicated that especially front-line health care personnel are psychologically challenged. A majority of the Finnish COVID-19 patients are cared for in the Helsinki University Hospital district. The psychological distress of the Helsinki University Hospital personnel has been followed via an electronic survey monthly since June 2020. We report six-month follow-up results of a prospective 18-month cohort study. Individual variation explained much more of the total variance in psychological distress (68.5%, 95% CI 65.2–71.9%) and negative changes in sleep (75.6%, 95% CI 72.2–79.2%) than the study survey wave (1.6%, CI 0.5–5.5%; and 0.3%, CI 0.1–1.2%). Regional COVID-19 incidence rates correlated with the personnel’s psychological distress. In adjusted multilevel generalized linear multiple regression models, potentially traumatic COVID-19 pandemic-related events (OR 6.54, 95% CI 5.00–8.56) and front-line COVID-19 work (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.37–2.39) was associated with personnel psychological distress but age and gender was not. While vaccinations have been initiated, creating hope, continuous follow-up and psychosocial support is still needed for all hospital personnel.

In March 2020, strict measures took place in Finland to limit the COVID-19 pandemic. Majority of Finnish COVID-19 patients have been located in southern Finland and consequently cared for at the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS) Helsinki University Hospital. During the pandemic, HUS personnel’s psychological symptoms are followed via an electronic survey, which also delivers information on psychosocial support services. In June 2020, the baseline survey was sent to 25,494 HUS employees, 4804 (19%) of whom answered; altogether, 62.4% of the respondents were nursing staff and 8.9% were medical doctors. While the follow-up continues for a year and a half, this report shares the sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents and the first results of psychological symptoms from our baseline survey. Out of those who were directly involved in the pandemic patient care, 43.4% reported potentially traumatic COVID-19 pandemic-related events (PTEs) vs. 21.8% among the others (p < 0.001). While over a half of the personnel were asymptomatic, a group of respondents reported PTEs and concurrent depression, insomnia, and anxiety symptoms. This highlights the need to ensure appropriate psychosocial support services to all traumatized personnel; especially, nursing staff may require attention.

On March 2020 strict measures took place in Finland to limit the COVID -19 pandemic. A majority of the Finnish COVID -19 –patients have been located in the southern Finland and consequently cared for in the HUS Helsinki University Hospital. During the ongoing pandemic, HUS personnel’s psychological symptoms are followed via an electronic survey, which also delivers information on psychosocial support services. The baseline survey in June 2020 was sent to 25494 HUS employees out of whom 4804 (19%) answered; altogether 62.4% of the respondents were nursing staff and 8.9% medical doctors. While the follow-up continues for a year and a half, this report shares the sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents and the first results of psychological symptoms from the baseline survey. Out of those who were directly involved in pandemic patients` care, 43.4% reported potentially traumatic COVID-19 pandemic-related experiences vs. 21.8% among the other (p < 0.001). While over a half of the personnel was symptomless, a group of respondents reported pandemic work –related traumatic events and concurrent depressive, insomnia and anxiety symptoms. This highlights the need to ensure appropriate psychosocial support services to all traumatized personnel and PTEs were present especially among nursing staff.

COVID-19 challenged health care personnel from spring 2020 to the introduction of vaccines. This prospective cohort study evaluated the psychological impact of cumulated exposure to COVID-19 frontline work and COVID-19-related potentially traumatic events (PTEs) on all hospital personnel. PTEs, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, psychological distress, insomnia, anxiety and depression symptoms were assessed with screening tools monthly during the first year and later bimonthly in this study among HUS Helsinki University Hospital personnel who participated in this study. The initial number of participants was N = 4910 (19% of the hospital personnel), 85% of whom reparticipated in some of the 16 follow ups and N = 1128 at 24 months (last follow up). The most important PTE before PTSD symptoms was strong anxiety due to fear of one's own or a close one's infection (odds ratio, OR 2.39, 95% confidence interval, CI 1.92-2.98), followed by exceptionally disturbing or distressing pandemic work assignments (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.41-2.02). Frontline work and direct exposure to pandemic patients alone did not statistically significantly increase PTSD risk (OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.89-1.23). Accumulation of PTEs (OR 1.07 per PTE, 95% CI 1.03-1.12) and prolonged frontline work (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.01-1.10) over time were risk factors for psychological distress. Accumulated exposures to PTEs and frontline work constitute an additional risk of distress and stress-related disorders. The subjective nature of the most prominent risk, PTE (fear of infections), suggests that workplace interventions and emotional support might prevent distress during a pandemic.