Reducing the Number of Intrusive Memories of Work-Related Traumatic Events in Frontline Health Care Staff During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Case Series (Preprint)

• DOI: 10.2196/preprints.55562
• Publication Date: 2024-01-09T20:16:45Z
• Authors: Veronika Kubickova; Craig Steel; Michelle L Moulds; Marie Kanstrup; Sally Beer; Melanie Darwent; Liza Keating; Emily A Holmes; Lalitha Iyadurai
• Keywords: Preprint; Pandemic; 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak

<sec> <title>BACKGROUND</title> Frontline health care staff are frequently exposed to traumatic events as part of their work. Although this study commenced before the emergence COVID-19, levels exposure were heightened by pandemic. Many members report intrusive memories such events, which can elicit distress, affect functioning, and be associated with posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in long term. We need evidence-based interventions that brief, preventative, nonstigmatizing, suitable for working lives frontline staff, effective repeated trauma exposure. A guided imagery-competing task intervention involving a reminder cue Tetris gameplay may hold promise regard, given evidence it prevent reduce number following across various settings. </sec> <title>OBJECTIVE</title> This case series aims investigate impact brief on memories, general stress, anxiety, depression, examine feasibility acceptability UK National Health Service staff. The was delivered guidance from clinical psychologist. <title>METHODS</title> recruited 12 Service, specifically emergency departments, intensive unit, ambulance service. evaluated using an AB single-case experimental design, where baseline (A) monitoring-only phase postintervention (B) period time after first administered. Methods adapted once COVID-19 pandemic began. <title>RESULTS</title> There decrease (59%) mean per day (mean 1.29, SD 0.94) 0.54, 0.51). statistically significant reduction postintervention, shown aggregated omnibus analysis small effect size (τ-&lt;i&gt;U&lt;/i&gt;=–0.38; &lt;i&gt;P&amp;lt;&lt;/i&gt;.001). Depression, all significantly reduced preintervention postintervention. Participants also reported improvements functioning based both quantitative qualitative measures. feasible deliver rated acceptable participants. <title>CONCLUSIONS</title> These preliminary findings suggest therapist-guided offers potential approach mitigating work-related during beyond. Randomized controlled trials will important next step.