The Covid-19 HEalth caRe wOrkErS (HEROES) Study
The Covid-19 HEalth caRe wOrkErS (HEROES) Study
Since December 2019 the world has been shaken with an enormous global threat: the Covid-19
 pandemic. This new kind of coronavirus is generating an unprecedented impact both on the
 general population and on the healthcare systems in most countries. Health services are
 trying to expand their capacity to respond to the pandemic, taking actions such as increasing
 the number of beds; acquiring necessary equipment to provide intensive therapy (ventilators),
 and calling retired health professionals and health students so they can assist the
 overwhelmed health care workforce. Unfortunately, these organizational changes at health
 facilities, along with the fears and concerns of becoming ill with the virus or infecting
 their families, put an enormous emotional burden on workers in health services which may lead
 to negative outcomes on mental health in this population.

 Recent cross-sectional studies in China indicate that health service workers exposed to
 people with Covid-19 reported higher rates of depressive and anxious symptoms. This negative
 impact on mental health among health workers in China has also been informally reported in
 other countries where the Covid-19 pandemic has been devastating in its effects (such as
 Spain and Italy), as well as in countries where the pandemic is becoming a growing public
 health problem. This is particularly relevant in regions with fewer resources (Latin America,
 North Africa), where there are limited means and the response from the health system is
 usually insufficient. Moreover, it is necessary to study these negative effects
 longitudinally considering that some effects will appear over time (post-traumatic stress).

 The COVID-19 HEalth caRe wOrkErS (HEROES) study is a large, bottom-up, South-North initiative
 aimed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of health care
 workers (HCWs). HEROES encompasses a wide variety of academic institutions in 19 LMICs and 8
 HICs, in partnership with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and with support from
 the World Health Organization (WHO). The HEROES study is led by Dr. Rubén Alvarado at
 University of Chile, and Dr. Ezra Susser and Franco Mascayano at Columbia U Mailman School of
 Public Health.
Since December 2019 the world has been shaken with an enormous global threat: the Covid-19
 pandemic. This new kind of coronavirus is generating an unprecedented impact both on the
 general population and on the healthcare systems in most countries. Health services are
 trying to expand their capacity to respond to the pandemic, taking actions such as increasing
 the number of beds; acquiring necessary equipment to provide intensive therapy (ventilators),
 and calling retired health professionals and health students so they can assist the
 overwhelmed health care workforce. Unfortunately, these organizational changes at health
 facilities, along with the fears and concerns of becoming ill with the virus or infecting
 their families, put an enormous emotional burden on workers in health services which may lead
 to negative outcomes on mental health in this population. Based on the literature to date,
 Covid-19 is significantly larger than previous pandemics in terms of the number of affected
 people worldwide, its spread across countries, its impact on healthcare systems and the
 severity of measures that have been taken by governments. Immediate consequences are palpable
 in the health care system. Many healthcare workers are overwhelmed by the increased workload;
 the lack of supplies and materials to provide appropriate treatment; the lack of clinical
 guidelines on prioritization and triage; and the increased feelings of isolation and
 loneliness. Previous research indicates that these negative effects can last over time and
 lead to the development of serious mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress
 disorder.

 Recent cross-sectional studies in China indicate that health service workers exposed to
 people with Covid-19 reported higher rates of depressive and anxious symptoms. This negative
 impact on mental health among health workers in China has also been informally reported in
 other countries where the Covid-19 pandemic has been devastating in its effects (such as
 Spain and Italy), as well as in countries where the pandemic is becoming a growing public
 health problem. This is particularly relevant in regions with fewer resources (Latin America,
 North Africa), where there are limited means and the response from the health system is
 usually insufficient. Moreover, it is necessary to study these negative effects
 longitudinally considering that some effects will appear over time (post-traumatic stress).
 Also, it is necessary to take into account the nature and the extent of the health response
 (e.g., deployment, increased workload) in order to advance our understanding of these complex
 phenomenon and to inform policy and develop the kind of supports that this population deems
 useful.

 The COVID-19 HEalth caRe wOrkErS (HEROES) study is a large, bottom-up, South-North initiative
 aimed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of health care
 workers (HCWs). HEROES encompasses a wide variety of academic institutions in 19 LMICs and 8
 HICs, in partnership with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and with support from
 the World Health Organization (WHO). The HEROES study is led by Dr. Rubén Alvarado at
 University of Chile, and Dr. Ezra Susser and Franco Mascayano at Columbia U Mailman School of
 Public Health.

 Participants will complete an online questionnaire, which will be completely
 self-administered. It will take approximately 12 minutes and includes sociodemographic data,
 questions on work activity, training, fears and concerns related to Covid-19, as well as the
 GHQ-12 and a series of questions on other mental health issues (e.g., suicide, acute stress),
 resilience and psycho/social factors (e.g., formal and informal support).
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Legal age

 -  Currently working on a health service that provides care to COVID-19 patients

 -  Give informed consent

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Inability to use electronic devices (required to complete the survey)