Resilience, Sense of Danger and Reporting for Work in Wartime in Healthcare Personnel in a General Hospital

Abstract

Abstract Background & Aims: During wartime, front line hospitals must not only continue to maintain their range of services and high standards of care, including during missile attacks, but also ensure that their healthcare personnel (HCP) maintain their attendance. This study was designed to identify the factors affecting the percentage of HCPs reporting for work during periods of security escalations and wartime. Specifically, it explored the relationships between resilience, sense of danger and HCP absenteeism. The results can contribute to designing an intervention to decrease HCP absenteeism during security escalations, wartime and emergencies. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2021 to January 2022. An online questionnaire was sent to the HCP of a southern Israeli general hospital located on the front lines of a longstanding conflict. Resilience was measured on the Conor-Davidson scale (CD-RISC). Sense of danger was evaluated on the Solomon & Prager inventory. Results: In total, 390 employees completed the survey. Of this sample, 77.4% reported fully to work during the last security escalations in May 2021. Most of the sample (84.1%) felt insecure on the way to work. The HCP who reported fully to work had a higher level of resilience than employees who reported partially or did not come to work at all (p = 0.03). A higher sense of danger in the workplace correlated with a 73% increase in absenteeism (p < 0.01). Absenteeism (partial or full) was higher among HCP with children who require supervision (p < 0.01). Hospital preparedness for emergencies increased HCP attendance at work (p = 0.03). Conclusions: Hospital management should design programs to strengthen the level of resilience and the sense of security of hospital personnel to encourage greater attendance at work in wartime, crises, or emergencies.