Efficacy of the my health too online cognitive behavioral therapy program for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A randomized controlled trial

Background Healthcare workers' mental health has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the need for mental health interventions in this population. Online cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is efficient to reduce stress and may reach numerous professionals. We developed “MyHealthToo”, an online CBT program to help reduce stress among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective The aim of our study is to investigate the efficacy of an online CBT program on stress and mental health conditions among healthcare workers during a health crisis. Methods We performed a multicentric randomized controlled trial among 155 participants allocated either to the experimental or active control group (bibliotherapy). The primary outcome was the decrease of perceived stress scores (PSS-10) post-treatment. Secondary outcomes included depression, insomnia and PTSD symptoms along with self-reported resilience and ruminations. Assessments were scheduled pretreatment, mid-treatment (4 weeks), post-treatment (8 weeks), and at 1-month and 4-months follow-up. Results For both interventions, mean changes on the PSS-10 were significant post-therapy (W8), as at 1-month (W12) and 4-months (W24) follow-ups. The between-group comparison showed no difference at any time point (ps > 0.88). Work-related ruminations significantly decreased in the experimental group with a significant between-group difference at W8 (Δ = −1.83 [−3.57; −0.09], p = 0.04). Posttraumatic stress symptoms significantly decreased in the experimental group with a significant between-group difference at W12 (Δ = −1.41 [−2.68; −0.14], p = 0.03). The decrease in work-related ruminations at W8 mediated the decrease in posttraumatic stress symptoms at W12 (p = 0.048). Conclusion The “MyHealthToo” online CBT intervention may help reduce ruminations about work and posttraumatic stress symptoms among healthcare workers during a major health crisis. Work-related ruminations may represent a relevant target of online interventions to improve mental health among healthcare workers.