A qualitative exploration of the coping strategies of UK ethnic minority healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

There is a dearth of empirical evidence on the coping strategies of UK ethnic minority (UKEM) healthcare workers during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic despite evidence of their increased risk of infection and less protection, disproportionate redeployment, and gross work-life imbalance. The present study explored UKEM healthcare workers’ coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A qualitative design comprising individual and joint interviews, and a focus group was used. Participants were 15 UKEM healthcare workers (11 females; age range: 26–58 [43.3 ± 9.4] years). Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Participants navigated the pandemic using three key coping strategies: problem-focused coping (active and restraint coping), emotion-focused coping (positive reframing, reflective acceptance, and religiosity/spiritual bypass), and social coping and support-seeking. They particularly underscored the importance of religiosity/spiritual bypass as a coping strategy.

The pandemic challenged our sample of UKEM healthcare workers to deploy a variety of coping strategies. Religiosity/spiritual bypass was particularly important in navigating the challenges of the pandemic. Coping strategy enhancement interventions among UKEM healthcare workers and the UKEM community during and post hyper-precarious conditions such as pandemics may benefit from targeting the identified coping strategies.