UC San Diego Health Experts: Addressing Mental Health in Health Care Workers

Newswise — Today, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) held a media briefing detailing results from their latest Vital Signs Report. Surveyed health care workers are reporting higher rates of harassment, burnout and poor mental health than at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Judy Davidson, DNP, RN, a nurse scientist at UC San Diego Health whose research focuses on mental health and nurse suicide prevention, is available to discuss the issues health care workers are facing and what can be done to improve the well-being of those who care for us.

According to Davidson, access to care and stigmas related to mental health are often barriers to health care professionals seeking help. “Safe access to care can also be deployed through anonymous encrypted screening for those at risk using tested programs, such as the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention’s Interactive Screening Program. At UC San Diego Health, we have been using this since 2009 — successfully referring hundreds of physicians and employees into safe mental health treatment.”

The UC San Diego Healer Education Assessment & Referral (HEAR) Program offers education, anonymous stress and depression screening, referral and support to all UC San Diego Health employees.

Earlier this year, Davidson, along with Sidney Zisook, MD, Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine and psychiatrist at UC San Diego Health, began work on on a three-year, $1.5 million grant from the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention to test strategies aimed at improving the mental health of nurses and preventing suicide.

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