Author:
Liu Huan,Zhou Ningying,Zhou Zhiqing,Tao Xiubin,Kong Yan,Zhang Ming
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Over the past three years, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought an overwhelming impact on China’s hospital system and health care workers, which can lead to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Previous research has shown that the COVID-19 pandemic had long-term adverse effects on the mental health of health care workers. Indeed, PTSD symptoms have emerged as one of the significant mental health issues for health care workers arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, we conducted this cross-sectional survey to investigate the prevalence of PTSD symptoms in health care workers and its relationship with the fear of COVID-19 and the COVID-19 burden after the full liberalization of COVID-19 prevention and control policy in China.
Methods
This study was conducted three years after the global COVID-19 pandemic (January 15 to January 16, 2023). This study was conducted via the Wenjuanxing platform and used the Chinese versions of the scales PC-PTSD-5, COVID-19 Anxiety Scale (FCV-19S), Social Support Scale, COVID-19 Stress Scale, GAD-2, and PHQ-2.
Results
The prevalence of PTSD symptoms in health care workers was 24.3% (232/955). depression(P < 0.001), anxiety(P < 0.05), the fear of COVID-19(P < 0.001), and COVID-19 burden(P < 0.001) were highly correlated with PTSD symptoms in health care workers. Social support(P < 0.05) was a protective factor of PTSD symptoms.
Conclusions
This survey shows that PTSD symptoms were highly prevalent among Chinese health care workers after the COVID-19 pandemic. Governments and leaders of medical institutions should, through psychological interventions, address the current situation of PTSD symptoms among health care workers and develop targeted programs and strategies to reduce their psychological problems.
Funder
the Teaching Quality and teaching reform project of Wannan Medical College
the prevention and control science and technology emergency project for COVID-19 of Wuhu
the Key Laboratory of Philosophy and Social Science of Anhui Province on Adolescent Mental Health and Crisis Intelligence Intervention
the Industry-University Cooperation Collaborative Education Project of the Ministry of Education
Anhui Provincial College Outstanding Young Talents Support Program
the School project of the University Student Mental Health Education Research Center of Wannan Medical College
the Teaching Reform Project of Wannan Medical College
Anhui Provincial University Scientific Research Key Project
Anhui Province Educational Science Research Project
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Psychiatry and Mental health