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  5. Contact tracing during the COVID-19 outbreak: a protocol for enabling rapid learning from experiences and exploring the psychological impact on contact tracers
 
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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

Author(s)
O'Donovan, Róisín  
Buckley, Claire  
Crowley, Philip  
Fulham-McQuillan, Hugh  
Gilmore, Brynne  
Martin, Jennifer  
McAuliffe, Eilish  
Moore, Gemma  
Nicholson, Emma  
Ní Shé, Éidín  
O'Hara, Mary Clare  
Segurado, Ricardo  
Sweeney, Mary Rose  
Wall, Patrick G.  
De Brún, Aoife  
Uri
http://hdl.handle.net/10197/12048
Date Issued
2021-09-15
Date Available
2021-03-12T16:40:26Z
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 a role 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 members of the public. Aim: This research aims to: (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.
Sponsorship
Health Research Board
Type of Material
Journal Article
Publisher
Taylor and Francis
Journal
HRB Open Research
Volume
4
Start Page
1
End Page
16
Copyright (Published Version)
2021 The Authors
Subjects

Psychological impact

Health services impro...

Contact tracing

COVID-19

Mixed methods researc...

Coronavirus

DOI
10.12688/hrbopenres.13236.2
Web versions
https://www.ucd.ie/research/covid19response/scholarlypublications/
Language
English
Status of Item
Peer reviewed
This item is made available under a Creative Commons License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ie/
File(s)
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Contact Tracing Research Protocol HRB. UCD.docx

Size

178.57 KB

Format

Unknown

Checksum (MD5)

b4fc6812069e80684c4803a77b887ff9

No Thumbnail Available
Name

All Data Collection Materials 1 March 2021 ADB.doc

Size

567.5 KB

Format

Unknown

Checksum (MD5)

a4e3b93be2d4bb2c43619b693b893627

Owning collection
Nursing, Midwifery & Health Systems Research Collection
Mapped collections
Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science Research Collection

Item descriptive metadata is released under a CC-0 (public domain) license: https://creativecommons.org/public-domain/cc0/.
All other content is subject to copyright.

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