In our fast-paced world, taking care of one's mental health is just as important as physical well-being. Especially for healthcare workers who tirelessly serve others, finding ways to maintain good mental health is crucial.
A clinical trial has explored how a smartphone app called 'Foundations' could help improve the mental health and well-being of healthcare workers in England.
Background
Healthcare workers (HCWs) have faced considerable pressures during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes work-based ones such as the risk of infection, increased workload, exposure to trauma, social challenges of isolation, increased caring demands, and loss of loved ones. While there has been a substantial psychological toll across the entire population, some studies suggest that HCWs have elevated levels of probable common mental disorders, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Poor mental health status has ramifications for not only HCWs and their families but also HCWs’ ability to support patients. Hence, health systems and organizations have tried to support HCWs through a range of initiatives and measures, however, most of these lack clinical evidence.Clinical Trial
The researchers were concerned about the mental well-being of healthcare workers and to address this issue, they conducted a clinical trial using a special tool – a smartphone app named 'Foundations'. This app was designed to offer support and strategies to enhance mental health and well-being.The researchers invited healthcare workers from various places in England to join the clinical trial. These workers were randomly divided into two groups. One group used the 'Foundations' app, while the other group did not. Over a specific period, both groups were evaluated to see if there were any improvements in their mental health and overall well-being.
Results
The results of the clinical trial were very encouraging. Healthcare workers who used the 'Foundations' app reported feeling better mentally and emotionally. They had a reduction in psychiatric morbidity symptoms, improvement in well-being, and reduction in insomnia. The app seemed to provide them with useful techniques to manage their feelings and cope with the challenges of their job.The 'Foundations' app was successful in improving mental health and well-being as it provided helpful tips and strategies that were easy to understand and put into practice. It included six focus areas to work on (relaxation, sleep, anxious thoughts, feeling down, self-esteem, stress).