Efficacy of an Online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Programme Aiming at Reducing the Stress of Health Workers Involved in the Care of Patients During the Covid-19 Epidemic: a Randomized-controlled Trial

Some preliminary epidemiological research conduct in China in health workers involved in the care of Covid-19 patients has shown high rates of depression (>50%), generalized anxiety disorder (>44%), insomnia (>36%) and stress symptoms (>73%), which negatively impact their well-being as well as their ability to work effectively . These rates were observed during the epidemic peak, but they can also have a long-term mental health effect, both individually, but also in a systemic manner , similar to what has been reported relative to the SARS-CoV-1 . Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is recognized as an effective treatment for stress-reduction, as well as for the prevention of multiple mental health problems in at-risk individuals . Moreover, CBT has been found to be effective in brief online formats , which could make it feasible during the current Covid-19 epidemic. To our knowledge, there are no online CBT programmes targeting stress problems in health workers involved in the care of patients during the current epidemic context. The aim of our study is to evaluate the efficacy of the online CBT programme we have developped to specifically address immediate perceived stress in health workers, as well as the prevention of mental health problems at 3- and 6-months follow-up