Mental wellbeing of equine veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and veterinary students during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Abstract

Summary The rapid global spread of COVID‐19 necessitated changes to national behavioural patterns and working practices, including self‐isolating, maintenance of social distancing and lockdowns. These steps are likely to have had consequences for mental health and wellbeing. Objectives To assess the mental wellbeing of equine veterinary surgeons, equine veterinary nurses and veterinary students during the COVID‐19 pandemic and the associated lockdown in the UK in June 2020. Study design Electronic survey. Methods The survey was run between 6 June 2020 and 14 June 2020, and consisted of 22 closed and open questions, including the 14‐item scale Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS). The questionnaire was distributed through email via the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) membership database. Results A total of 451 responses were received. The mean scores for the WEMWBS for veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and veterinary students were 47.17, 39.53 and 44.29 respectively. These compare to 48.08 and 46.38 for equine veterinary surgeons and nurses respectively in the 2019 RCVS survey of the profession. The WEMWBS results indicated lower levels of mental wellbeing in equine veterinary nurses/student veterinary nurses and veterinary students, compared to equine veterinary surgeons, as well as in furloughed equine veterinary surgeons compared to working equine veterinary surgeons. Main limitations Risk of self‐selection bias and reporting bias. Low numbers of veterinary nurse respondents. Conclusions There were lower levels of mental wellbeing among equine veterinary surgeons and equine veterinary nurses during the COVID‐19 pandemic compared to the situation prior to the COVID‐19 pandemic. Equine veterinary nurses appeared to be more likely to report lower mental wellbeing than veterinary surgeons, and furloughed veterinary surgeons reported lower levels of mental wellbeing than veterinary surgeons that continued working during the lockdown.