Assessment of the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Residents Training and Mental Health in Poland

Completed

• Conditions: SARS-CoV-2
• Interventions: Other: Survey

• Registration Number: NCT04753463
• Lead Sponsor: Medical University of Bialystok

Brief Summary

The aim of study is to investigate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on ophthalmology training programs among residents. To the best of our knowledge this study is the first of its kind in Poland. The impact of COVID-19 on ophthalmology training programs is largely unknown as there are only few studies assessing the above issue from the resident's point of view.

Detailed Description

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, responsible for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), was first identified at the end of the year 2019 in Wuhan (China). A rapid spread of the disease resulted in global threat to public health. On 11 March 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the state of pandemic. In Poland, the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was reported on 4 March 2020 and subsequent growing number of patients has placed tremendous strain on healthcare system. The crisis situation prompted immediate action to divert healthcare resources for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 and to limit the spread of the infection. In accordance with the decision of the Minister of Health of March 13th, 2020, more than twenty hospitals were established to admit only the SARS-CoV-2 affected patients. Moreover, all hospitals were recommended to limit their planned activity and to perform only urgent and emergency services.

The investigators hypothesize that those changes in healthcare system and restrictions established in public area during pandemic caused significant difficulties in residency training considering clinical and surgical practice as well as didactic activities. In spite of gradual reopening the routine services over the last few months, social distancing rules are still in force. Accordingly, different methods of virtual teaching were introduced including, inter alia, organisation of courses, lectures and conferences in form of on-line meetings.

The aim of current study is to investigate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on ophthalmology training programs among residents. To the best of our knowledge this study is the first of its kind in Poland. The impact of COVID-19 on ophthalmology training programs is largely unknown as there are only few studies assessing the above issue from the resident's point of view.

The investigators believe that this investigations will address this gap in the literature and could be used to initiate the new solutions in order to maintain successful residency training during pandemic. Opinions regarding the efficiency of e-learning methods and on-line meetings may be crucial to innovate the conventional teaching way permanently in the future.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2021-02-04
• Study First Submitted QC: 2021-02-12
• Study First Posted: 2021-02-15
• Study Start: 2021-03-15
• Primary Completion: 2021-03-28
• Study Completion: 2021-04-15
• Status Verified: 2021-09
• Last Update Submitted: 2021-09-22
• Last Update Posted: 2021-09-28

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 126

Inclusion Criteria

• male and female in the age of 25-35 during residence training

Exclusion Criteria

• lack of consent for participating in survey

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Residents of Ophthalmology working on general ophthalmic departments	Survey	Residents of Ophthalmology working on general ophthalmic departments and not dealing with SARS-CoV-2 positive patients
Residents of Ophthalmology working on COVID-19 departments	Survey	Residents of ophthalmology working on COVID-19 departments and dealing with SARS-CoV-2 positive patients

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
questionnaire assessing the incidence of disturbance of COVID-19 pandemic on ophthalmology training programs among residents	1 month	the opinion of ophthalmology training programs among residents assessed with the questionnaire collecting demographics (age, gender), domicile (state, union territory), current professional status (in training or practising), type of practice (solo, group, institutional, governmental, non-governmental), marital status (married, single), impact of COVID-19 on their training or ophthalmology practice, and impact on income and ability to meet living expense

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
questionnaire assessing the negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health among ophthalmology residents	1 month	the opinion on impact for mental health among residents assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). PHQ-9 is a selfreport measure that is used to assess the severity of depression over the prior 2 weeks. Response to the nine questions are graded as 0 (not at all), 1 (several days), 2 (more than half the days), and 3 (nearly every day). The total score of PHQ-9 that categorizes depression is as follows: minimal/no depression (0-4), mild depression (5-9), moderate depression (10-14), or severe depression (15-21).
questionnaire assessing the attitude on COVID-19 vaccination of ophthalmology residents	1 month	the attitude towards the vaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 among residents assessed with the questionnaire with open questions about the willingness of taking the vaccination

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Medical University; 🇵🇱 Białystok, Poland

Ophthalmology Clinic Medical University of Bialystok; 🇵🇱 Białystok, Poland