The Acute Stress Scale in Healthcare Professionals Caring for Patients with COVID-19. Validation Study

Abstract Backgroud: This study designed and validated a scale to measure acute stress experienced during the care of patients with COVID-19 (EASE scale). Methods: The COSMIN recommendations were followed in the design and validation of the EASE scale. Internal consistency was calculated using Cronbach's Alpha and McDonald's Omega. Qualitative research was conducted to assess content validity. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factorial Analysis were used to assess construct validity. Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test and Lineal Regression were applied to assess criterion validity. Responsiveness and interpretability were also assessed.Results: A total of 228 health professionals from the Spanish public health system responded to the ten items, of the EASE scale. Internal consistency was 0.87 (McDonald’s Omega). Two factors explaining 55% of the variance were isolated. Goodness-of-fit indices confirmed this factor structure. The highest level of stress was found among professionals working in health services who accumulated a higher number of deaths from COVID-19 (P<.05). By means of translation-counter-translation, it was adapted to Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and English.Conclusions: EASE gathers adequate metric properties. Its systematic use would allow the identification of professionals with a higher risk of developing affective/anxiety disorders and Moral injury that could limited that patients received safety and integrated care.