Data Sheet 1_Insights from the front line: uplifting stories of the COVID-19 pandemic through the eyes of the public health workforce in Iowa.pdf

IntroductionSARS-CoV-2 was declared a pandemic in March 2020. Studies have characterized some of the negative impact of the pandemic on public health workers (PHW), but few have explored the strength and coping strategies used. Our study documents the experiences of PHW in Iowa during the pandemic.
MethodsWe used an innovative mixed methods data collection tool, SenseMaker® to gather stories from PHW in Iowa between March and July 2022. Participants provided additional data about their story via structured follow-up questions. We conducted descriptive analyses of the quantitative questions. A qualitative thematic and sentiment analysis was applied to all stories.
ResultsThe final sample size was 163 stories. PHW who submitted stories identified as mostly white (93.9%), and women (83.4%). Respondents were most likely to feel that in the story they told: the ability to act was out of their control; the strongest influence was from political considerations; decisions were made out of necessity; they wished for more focus on evidence-based public health. PHW were most likely to describe their emotional state at the height of the pandemic as frustration (61%), uncertainty (55%), and helplessness (50%). Those who felt in control were more likely to express positive emotions. Qualitative thematic analysis of these stories revealed 8 themes, highlighting facilitators (e.g., strong partnerships and collaborations) and barriers (e.g., politicization and controversial government response) to effective pandemic response.
DiscussionThe stories PHW shared powerfully illustrate the context of the pandemic in Iowa, a state that spent the least time under high stringency policies.

引言：2020年3月，严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2型（SARS-CoV-2）被正式宣布为全球大流行病。现有研究已对该大流行给公共卫生工作者（public health workers, PHW）造成的部分负面影响进行了刻画，但鲜有探讨其采用的应对策略与心理韧性的相关研究。本研究记录了爱荷华州公共卫生工作者在大流行期间的经历。

方法：本研究采用创新性混合方法数据采集工具SenseMaker®，于2022年3月至7月间收集爱荷华州公共卫生工作者的经历叙事。参与者通过结构化跟进问题，补充提交与自身叙事相关的额外信息。本研究对量化问题开展描述性统计分析，并对所有叙事进行质性主题与情感分析。

结果：最终有效样本量为163份叙事。提交叙事的公共卫生工作者中，绝大多数为白人（93.9%）且为女性（83.4%）。受访者在其叙事中最普遍的感知包括：行动能力不受自身控制；最强影响力来自政治考量；决策出于现实必要；他们期望更多聚焦于循证公共卫生实践。在描述大流行高峰期的情绪状态时，受访者最常提及的情绪为挫败感（61%）、不确定性（55%）与无助感（50%）。那些感知自身拥有控制权的工作者更易表达积极情绪。对上述叙事的质性主题分析共识别出8类主题，涵盖了高效大流行应对的促进因素（如紧密的伙伴关系与协作）与阻碍因素（如政治化操作及备受争议的政府应对举措）。

讨论：公共卫生工作者分享的叙事生动展现了爱荷华州的大流行背景——该州实施严格防控政策的时长处于全美最低水平。