The impact of the stress of forced vaccination on health care work

Abstract

     Stress results from excessive pressure on a person who cannot control or go beyond their ability and knowledge. Most people experience pressure from various aspects of their lives; when this pressure becomes excessive, we refer to it as “stress.” When the stress builds up, it will, in turn, adversely affect the individual. Some individuals have symptoms of headaches, anxiety, and mental illness, all of which are associated with stress. In my study, I concentrated on the impact of forced vaccinations on healthcare workers at work. Healthcare workers constitute the global health workforce; they provide health care treatment to the sick based on their area of professionalism. There has been an outbreak of infectious respiratory diseases called coronavirus diseases that cause illness in humans. Due to the increased rate of sickness and death from the virus, the government has made it mandatory for health care workers to take the coronavirus vaccine. Forced vaccinations have impacted health care workers in many ways, resulting in stress among some workers (Fisher, 2016). Research shows that most individuals experiencing intense stress without a solution find themselves experiencing psychological and mental disorders such as dementia, anxiety disorders, and psychosis. The above conditions lower the victims’ working ability, level of creativity, and overall performance. The above creates a need to research more on stress resulting from forced vaccination in the health care sector because these are important people in our society. In searching for more information about the impact of forced vaccination on healthcare workers and the rest of the world, I conducted studies in several healthcare organizations and found several victims. The below research paper expounds more on the impact of the stress of forced vaccination on health care workers and the rest of the world.

Literature review

     American Psychological Association shows there are three aspects of stress: chronic stress, which is mostly ignored; acute stress; and episodic acute stress (Ardelt & Bruya, 2021). The above can make an individual feel sick. Some people live in a state of tension whereby they tend to worry a great deal over several issues in life. The accumulation of these worries leads to episodic acute stress. Handling a lot of stuff in life can make a person overwhelmed and overburdened. This will affect the individual adversely. The above cases have been found in the healthcare sector, and healthcare workers are the victims because some are unable to handle the forced vaccination decisions that have been made (Hatch, Young & Barber 2018). An individual’s brain is known to take things a bit after a bit and can’t take immediate and big steps in accommodating changes. Hence, before the individuals adapt to the new ways, they might find themselves rethinking whether or not to get the vaccination, which leads to episodic acute stress. If the above is poorly managed, it can lead to serious illnesses such as clinical depression (Peterson, 2018). Acute stress occurs when one feels as if they are behind on a deadline and keeps worrying. Acute stress is also known to be extended when you recall an incident, and it keeps bothering your mind all day, to the point that it can cause an individual to stay up late at night without sleep (Ardelt & Bruya, 2021). All of the above aspects of stress adversely affect an individual’s mental and physical well-being; some may even trigger migraines and chest pains.

In 1967, Holmes and Rahe developed a scale to identify major life events that are highly stressful. A scale is a measuring tool for stress, and it also points out the common life stressors. Holmes and Rahe found a positive relationship between the illness score and life change. Carrying out the scale test helps individuals weigh if they are at risk of illness resulting from the stress they face daily. Following the Holmes-Rahe life stress inventory scale, losing a spouse is the most stressful thing for an adult. Total life change units measure the amount of stress a person experiences in life (Saleh & Niroumand, 2020). Stress exceeding the optimal level is termed “distress,” as it is no longer a positive force because it becomes overwhelming and excessive. People at this level feel fatigued, their performance starts to decline, and they feel burned out. The readjustment rating scale influenced more studies on mental and physical health and how stress affects this area (Ramdas, 2019). Healthcare workers have been exposed to this kind of pressure over something they can’t control, which can lead to illness and even death. There is an unequal distribution of stress exposure; this causes differences in an individual’s psychological and physical well-being. Research shows a ripple effect in stress; stress in one area of life can cause stress in other areas of life. In our case, the impact of stress on healthcare workers due to mandatory vaccination has impacted other areas of their lives as well, including family and friends. According to the theories, a high risk of illness is associated with the level of stress an individual is experiencing, so forced vaccination has resulted in illnesses for some people.

      Hans Style invented the GAS theory, which explains stress based on psychobiology and physiology. He stated that a stressor leads the body to respond in the alarm, resistance, and exhaustion stages. One must understand how these stages relate to each other. The stages explain how the body perceives a threat and adapts and equips itself to survive (Robinson, 2018). In the alarm stage, the GAS theory improves an individual’s body’s response to stress. At this stage, the level of hormones is high, which increases a person’s level of concentration and energy, enabling them to focus and deal with the situation at hand.

      Forced vaccination affects the individual’s mental health, leading to an increased risk of depression and anxiety. The above results from discrimination by other workers who have already been vaccinated and the fear of losing jobs due to failure to take the vaccine. Workers experiencing this kind of stress at the workplace are more likely to perform poorly and have a poor relationships with their co-workers. They are also likely to be involved in substance and drug abuse and unhealthy life patterns such as poor dietary plans (Mark, 2020). It also leads to absenteeism and low morale in the workplace, which will pull the organization’s overall performance down, negatively impacting the health sector.

     There are many impacts of forced vaccination on healthcare workers and the rest of the world as it may cause anxiety disorder, which is a mental health disorder involving feelings of worry with enough magnitude to interfere with an individual’s daily activities. Forced vaccination will make the victims feel excessive and persistent anxiety because of the many repercussions if the individual does not comply with the government decision (Hatch, Harrison & Watkinson, 2018). Being anxious is a normal emotion, but it leads to an anxiety disorder when the anxiety is intense. Generally, we can term anxiety as the natural body’s response to stress. The feeling of anxiety is different depending on the individual experiencing it. Some individuals experience anxiety attacks that develop slowly from continued stressful situations. The individual experiences overwhelming apprehension and stress.

     Research by Y Yang shows that forced vaccination causes distress and burnout, and healthcare workers may fail to provide quality healthcare services, whereby others may request leave due to sickness (Jang & Lee, 2021). Healthcare workers are in direct contact with the sick; any stress can affect how they deal with their patients. During the coronavirus period, the level of stress for healthcare workers is extremely high. Research shows that some healthcare workers regretted choosing the career because of the risk it came with, the many directives directed at them, and even being forced to take the vaccine. All these were major contributors to stress during the corona outbreak period (Callaway, 2020).

Methodology

     Methodology refers to the method and strategy used in the collection of data contained in a research paper. The methodology to be used in any research paper is important as it gives the basis for the conclusion of the research. In the literature review, stress has been found to have several effects. To determine whether or not healthcare workers are affected by the decision on mandatory vaccination, the following secondary information was collected (Lazarus, 2020). Using pre-existing evidence from secondary data, there are many impacts on stress at work of forced vaccination on health care workers, and the effects are adverse. Secondary data was collected via the internet from already carried out research. The above formed the basis of the information presented in the research paper (Fisher, 2016). Research from the secondary sources that were related to our topic was mostly used when collecting the data. The combination of various resources from secondary data formed the basis for the conclusion. During the coronavirus period, many organizations, such as health science, researched the effects of forced vaccination on health care workers. The results they found from the primary data they collected were key guidance for our secondary research. Books were also used to cite information. Several scholarly articles were used to refer to the secondary data. The books provided key information on stress and its impact on the victim and helped us integrate the knowledge to come up with a refined research paper. The criteria used to collect the data in the research paper were meta-analysis, which combines different data sets and compares and contrasts the data, hence the accuracy of the results (Dzwigol, 2021). The comparison gives the reader more insight into the key points pointed out in the research. When searching the data, such keywords included coronavirus, COVID-19 vaccination, health care workers, stress, depression, burnout, and the impacts of the stress of forced vaccination on health care workers (Hatch, Young & Barber, 2018). Usage of pre-existing information is beneficial to research as it aids in getting a variety of information, giving the reader the freedom to choose the method and articles to use. Peer-reviewed research papers were also used to source information on the impacts of forced vaccination, which has been made legal in most parts of the world (Callaway, 2020). Social media platforms contributed much too, revealing people’s opinions and how they perceived the mandatory vaccination. All the above secondary methods were used in the collection of the information on the effects of stress on individuals due to forced vaccination.

Results

     The research showed that most of the participants in our research were females, and the stress level of females was higher than that of males. The research showed that most individuals had not collaborated with the government’s decision. And most felt that the vaccination should be an individual’s free will (Robinson, 2018). Some people said that religion and what they believe in did not allow them to take the vaccine. Still, due to the strict directives on mandatory vaccination, most people found themselves in a dilemma that led to stress and some serious illnesses. The results showed that the victims underwent psychological problems as they feared losing their jobs, which led to a mental disorders in some health workers (Lazarus, 2020). The above not only affected the healthcare workers but also their families and friends. Some healthcare workers are the providers of their families, and losing jobs due to declining vaccination would adversely affect their well-being as they would find it difficult to meet their day-to-day expenses (Callaway, 2020). Research has shown that changes within the organization also lead to an increased workplace stress rate. Adapting to the new rules took some individuals’ time, which turned out to be stressful and led to prolonged stress, which caused long-term effects on the individual’s health.

      The research showed that most individuals feel anxious, have stomach discomfort, and have headaches when stressed. Most individuals said they were less productive when experiencing stress due to tiredness, especially due to a lack of sleep, or what is referred to as insomnia. Research has shown that the body automatically responds to this daily stress in different ways, including increased blood flow, increased blood pressure, and metabolism (Saleh, Niroumand & Zakeri, 2020). To some, the pressure to get the vaccination actually increased the workers’ productivity. They termed the vaccination a positive motivator for them to work harder and on safer ground to deliver services to the sick (Mark, 2020). From the findings, we can conclude that stress lowers productivity and leads to absenteeism due to other related illnesses. Some individuals found themselves involved in criminal activities, and others started taking hard drugs to reduce stress, negatively impacting the victims. Some individuals

Discussion

     Impact of stress on forced vaccination on health care workers The information was sourced from statistical documents, reviews of secondary data, and public records. The above data sources were considered to have relevant information on the topic of discussion and aid in sourcing the data (Lazarus, 2020). The data is considered relevant as it is from well-established sources. Having more than one source of data helped in comparing and contrasting the information and aided in producing quality and accurate data. The data compared the percentage of individuals who accepted and appreciated the government’s ruling on mandatory vaccination and those who did not like the decision on forced vaccination (Mark, 2020). Forced vaccination has increased the risk of stress and related diseases for healthcare workers and the rest of the world in most countries (Song, Motagamwala, Mobley, & Crocker, 2019).

      In the wake of business enterprises, corporates, and organizations’ move to open up after a long shutdown, they’ve been restricted by the government to complying with the ministry of health’s guidelines to adhere to COVID-19 preventive measures, which include the wearing of masks, maintaining social distance in places of work, and complying with vaccination requirements. A majority of business owners are devastated and asking what to do if it turns out that employees refuse to go for the jab. Some have even decided to lay off workers and give some unpaid leave to observe health protocols (Gostin, Salmon & Larson, 2021). Some workers have been forced to give weekly test reports if they are unvaccinated to curb direct threats to colleagues at places of work. With the current directives on mandatory vaccination, most individuals are experiencing a lot of pressure from their surroundings, affecting their health.

     According to the research, many healthcare workers are going through a lot of stress, affecting their whole beings and even other areas of their lives. Every person’s health should be prioritized before everything else. Research shows that many healthcare workers are faced with moderate-to-severe stress, and some report depression and high levels of anxiety. All of the above risk the workers’ health as they can develop secondary trauma (Callaway, 2020). The increased stress from forced vaccination has various consequences, such as increased burnout and musculoskeletal disorders (Ramdas, 2019). Burnout is likely to be experienced by health care workers because of the increasing risk of contracting the virus to even family and friends, and also because of going against the directives of mandatory vaccination, which some are not willing to take. The anxiety, burnout, and stress that healthcare workers are undergoing due to forced vaccination can reduce the workers’ quality of life due to reduced job performance and deteriorating health conditions (Malik, McFadden, Elharake & Omer, 2020). Anxiety may impair the reasoning skills of the individual and their thinking skills, which may ultimately decrease their performance in problem-solving and delivery of their services.

     Their healthcare workers should be involved in making a major decision to express their point of view. The above will reduce stress-related issues in the healthcare sector, adversely affecting workers who play a crucial role in society. There should be more explanation of how the vaccine works and its effects to avoid anxiety in individuals. The healthcare sector should also create awareness of the vaccine and give people the free will to take it; this will reduce the pressure and distress they are creating from forced vaccination (Schnepf & Christmann, 2021). The limitation of the research conducted was that there was a higher proportion of females than males. This could be because the majority of nurses and health care assistants have been discovered to be female.

Conclusion

     Stress is any situation that triggers our body to respond in a certain way. We are all faced with different kinds of stress every day, and the most important part is how we handle each situation. Research shows that intense stress leads to distress, which adversely affects an individual’s physical and mental status. Health care workers have been found to undergo many health conditions during the coronavirus period, and some have even quit their jobs. Healthcare workers are important people in our society. Hence, any problems they face should be curbed with immediate effect as they play a crucial role in our society. Forced vaccination has not only impacted healthcare workers but also the public (Lazarus, 2020). With no other option, most people have decided to get vaccinated to protect what they have and their families. In the future, countries should prepare for outbreaks such as corona to avoid increased stress on healthcare workers and reduce the negative impacts of stress on healthcare workers.

References

Ardelt, M., & Bruya, B. (2021). Three-dimensional wisdom and perceived stress among college students. Journal of Adult Development, 28(2), 93-105.

Callaway, E. (2020). The unequal scramble for coronavirus vaccines–by the numbers. Nature, 584(7822), 506-508.

Dzwigol, H. (2021). Meta-Analysis in Management and Quality Sciences.

Fisher, B. L. (2016). Forced Vaccination: The Tragic Legacy of Jacobson v. Massachusetts. National Vaccine Information Center.

Gostin, L. O., Salmon, D. A., & Larson, H. J. (2021). Mandating COVID-19 vaccines. Jama, 325(6), 532-533.                     

Hatch, R., Young, D., Barber, V., Griffiths, J., Harrison, D. A., & Watkinson, P. (2018).Anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder after critical illness: a UK-wide prospective cohort study. Critical care, 22(1), 1-13.

Jang, Y., You, M., Lee, H., Lee, M., Lee, Y., Han, J. O., & Oh, J. H. (2021). Burnout and peritraumatic distress of healthcare workers in the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Public Health, 21(1), 1-9.

Lazarus, R. S. (2020). Psychological stress in the workplace. In Occupational stress (pp. 3-14). CRC Press.

Malik, A. A., McFadden, S. M., Elharake, J., & Omer, S. B. (2020). Determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in the US. EClinicalMedicine, 26, 100495.

Mark, J. (2020). Workplace strategies for work burnout prevention. Middle European Scientific Bulletin

Peterson, C. L. (2018). Stress at work: A sociological perspective. Routledge.

Ramdas, M. K. R. (2019). Psychological well-being and stress among college teachers.

Robinson, A. M. (2018). Let’s talk about stress: History of stress research. Review of General Psychology, 22(3), 334-342.

Saleh, L. A., Niroumand, S., Dehghani, Z., Saleh, T. A., Mousavi, S. M., & Zakeri, H. (2020). Relationship between workplace violence and work stress in the emergency department. Journal of injury and violence research, 12(2), 183.

Schnepf, J., & Christmann, U. (2021). “It’sa war! It’sa battle! It’sa fight!”: Do militaristic metaphors increase people’s threat perceptions and support for COVID-19 policies?.

Song, Y., Motagamwala, A. H., Karlen, S. D., Dumesic, J. A., Ralph, J., Mobley, J. K., & Crocker, M. (2019). A comparative study of secondary depolymerization methods on oxidized lignins. Green Chemistry, 21(14), 3940-3947.