Implementation of a Mindfulness-Based Crisis Intervention for Frontline Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Outbreak in a Public General Hospital in Madrid, Spain


Author: Beatriz Rodriguez-Vega1,2,3, Ángela Palao1,2,3, Ainoa Muñoz-Sanjose1,2, Marta Torrijos1, Pablo Aguirre1, Arancha Fernández1, Blanca Amador1, Cristina Rocamora1, Laura Blanco1, Jesús Marti-Esquitino1, Aránzazu Ortiz-Villalobos1, Mónica Alonso-Sañudo1, Susana Cebolla1,2, Javier Curto1, Rosa Villanueva1, María-Jesús de-la-Iglesia1, Diego Carracedo1, Carlos Casado1, Emma Vidal1, Daniel Trigo1, Noelia Iglesias1, Diana Cabañas1, Loreto Mellado1, Daniel García1, Consuelo Fernández-Encinas1, Rubén Navarro1, Roberto Mediavilla2, María-Paz Vidal-Villegas2,3, María-Fe Bravo-Ortiz1,2,3, Carmen Bayón1,2,3

Affiliation: <sup>1</sup> Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology and Mental Health Department, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain.

<sup>2</sup> Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain.

<sup>3</sup> Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain.
Conference/Journal: Front Psychiatry
Date published: 2020 Oct 30
Other:
 Volume ID: 11   ,  Pages: 562578   ,  Special Notes: doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.562578.   ,  Word Count: 245  
    Introduction: The COVID-19 outbreak is having an impact on the well-being of healthcare workers. Mindfulness-based interventions have shown effectiveness in reducing stress and fostering resilience and recovery in healthcare workers. There are no studies examining the feasibility of brief mindfulness-based interventions during the COVID-19 outbreak. Materials and Methods: This is an exploratory study with a post intervention assessment. We describe an on-site brief mindfulness intervention and evaluate its helpfulness, safety, and feasibility. Results: One thousand out of 7,000 (14%) healthcare workers from La Paz University Hospital in Madrid (Spain) participated in at least one session. One hundred and fifty out of 1,000 (15%) participants filled out a self-report questionnaire evaluating the helpfulness of the intervention for on-site stress reduction. Ninety two subjects (61%) participated in more than one session. Most of the participants were women (80%) with a mean age of 38.6 years. Almost half of the sample were nurses (46%). Sessions were perceived as being helpful with a mean rating of 8.4 on a scale from 0 to 10. Only 3 people (2%) reported a minor adverse effect (increased anxiety or dizziness). Discussion: Our data supports the utility, safety and feasibility of an on-site, brief mindfulness-based intervention designed to reduce stress for frontline health workers during a crisis. There is a need to continue testing this type of interventions, and to integrate emotion regulation strategies as an essential part of health workers' general training. Clinical Trial Registration number: NCT04555005.



Keywords: COVID-19; brief mindfulness-based intervention; compassion; general hospital; healthcare workers; implementation; mindfulness; stress.



PMID: 33329103 PMCID: PMC7673433 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.562578