Invest in structural support for healthcare workers
"Specific strategies must be developed to provide support to those providing unpaid care work and emotional labour alongside medical expertise. These might include improved access to childcare and mental health resources, among other strategies. Without such structural changes, there is a real risk of disproportionate levels of COVID-19-related burnout among women physicians." (Smith et al., 2021)
COVID-19 pandemic-related school and childcare closures have impacts on healthcare worker's employment and physical and mental health. This is disproportionately experienced by women. We recommend investing in onsite affordable childcare at health facilities for healthcare workers. We also recommend offering proactive onsite mental health support for healthcare workers.
Supporting research
Invisible No More
Provider perspectivesCOVID-19GenderFrom “nobody's clapping for us” to “bad moms”: COVID-19 and the circle of childcare in Canada
Simon Fraser University
COVID-19Provider perspectivesGender“I may be essential but someone has to look after my kids”: women physicians and COVID-19
Simon Fraser University
COVID-19Provider perspectivesGender