Understanding the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on railway workers : risks and protective factors

Cogan, Nicola and McGibbon, Megan and Gardiner, Amy and Morton, Liza (2023) Understanding the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on railway workers : risks and protective factors. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 65 (2). pp. 172-183. ISSN 1536-5948 (https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000002711)

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Abstract

Objective Railway workers have provided an essential service throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explored the effects of COVID-19 on the mental well-being of railway workers (N = 906) in the United Kingdom during the third lockdown period. Method The online survey included measures of COVID-19-related risk factors (perceived risk, stress, burnout, trauma) and protective factors (resilience coping, team resilience, general help seeking) associated with mental well-being. Responses were analyzed using multiple regression and content analysis. Results COVID-19-related risk factors negatively predicted well-being. Higher scores on adaptive resilience, intentions to seek help, and team resilience significantly predicted higher mental well-being scores. Mental health decline throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns for the future were reported. Conclusions Building a resilient railway workforce requires attention to staff mental well-being and to ensuring that support systems are robust and accessible.

ORCID iDs

Cogan, Nicola ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0861-5133, McGibbon, Megan, Gardiner, Amy and Morton, Liza;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)