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Contact tracing during the COVID-19 outbreak: a protocol for enabling rapid learning from experiences and exploring the psychological impact on contact tracers.
O'Donovan, Róisín Buckley, Claire Crowley, Philip Fulham-McQuillan, Hugh Gilmore, Brynne Martin, Jennifer McAuliffe, Eilish Moore, Gemma Nicholson, Emma Ní Shé, Éidín
O'Donovan, Róisín
Buckley, Claire
Crowley, Philip
Fulham-McQuillan, Hugh
Gilmore, Brynne
Martin, Jennifer
McAuliffe, Eilish
Moore, Gemma
Nicholson, Emma
Ní Shé, Éidín
Advisors
Editors
Other Contributors
Departments
Date
2021-09-15
Date Submitted
Keywords
Covid-19
psychological impact
contact tracing
health services improvement
Mixed methods research
psychological impact
contact tracing
health services improvement
Mixed methods research
Other Subjects
Subject Mesh
Planned Date
Start Date
Collaborators
Principal Investigators
Files
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hrbopenres-4-14594.pdf
Adobe PDF, 1.2 MB
Alternative Titles
Publisher
Abstract
Background: Given the unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Irish health system required the redeployment of public sector staff and the recruitment of dedicated contact tracing staff in the effort to contain the spread of the virus. Contact tracing is crucial for effective disease control and is normally carried out by public health teams. Contact tracing staff are provided with rapid intensive training but are operating in a dynamic environment where processes and advice are adapting continuously. Real-time data is essential to inform strategy, coordinate interconnected processes, and respond to needs . Given that many contact tracers have been newly recruited or redeployed, they may not have significant experience in healthcare and may experience difficulties in managing the anxieties and emotional distress of the public. Aim: (i) identify emerging needs and issues and feed this information back to the Health Service Executive for updates to the COVID-19 Contact Management Programme (CMP); (ii) understand the psychological impact on contact tracers and inform the development of appropriate supports. Methods: We will use a mixed-methods approach. A brief online survey will be administered at up to three time points during 2021 to measure emotional exhaustion, anxiety, general health, and stress of contact tracing staff, identify tracing systems or processes issues, as well as issues of concern and confusion among the public. Interviews will also be conducted with a subset of participants to achieve a more in-depth understanding of these experiences. Observations may be conducted in contact tracing centres to document processes, practices, and explore any local contextual issues. Impact: Regular briefs arising from this research with data, analysis, and recommendations will aim to support the work of the CMP to identify problems and implement solutions. We will deliver regular feedback on systems issues; challenges; and the psychological well-being of contact tracing staff.
Language
en
Citation
ISSN
eISSN
2515-4826
ISBN
DOI
10.12688/hrbopenres.13236.2
PMID
34632267