Possible posttraumatic stress disorder in Chinese frontline healthcare workers who survived COVID-19 6 months after the COVID-19 outbreak: prevalence, correlates, and symptoms
Suffering from COVID-19 and witnessing the suffering and deaths of patients with COVID-19 may place frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) at particularly high risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); however, few data are available on the clinical characteristics of PTSD among frontline HCWs who...
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Veröffentlicht in: | Translational psychiatry 2021-07, Vol.11 (1), p.374-374, Article 374 |
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Sprache: | eng |
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Zusammenfassung: | Suffering from COVID-19 and witnessing the suffering and deaths of patients with COVID-19 may place frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) at particularly high risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); however, few data are available on the clinical characteristics of PTSD among frontline HCWs who survived COVID-19 (“surviving HCWs” hereafter). The present study examined the prevalence, correlates, and clinical symptoms of possible PTSD in surviving HCWs 6 months after the COVID-19 outbreak in China. A total of 291 surviving HCWs and 42 age- and gender-matched COVID-19-free frontline HCWs (control group) were recruited and administered the Chinese Essen Trauma Inventory, which was used to assess the presence of possible PTSD according to DSM-IV-TR criteria. Survivors’ clinical data and characteristics of exposure to COVID-19 were collected via self-report questionnaires. Surviving HCWs had significantly higher rates of possible PTSD than controls (19.9% vs. 4.8%,
P
= 0.017). Correlates of PTSD in survivors were ICU admission (OR = 8.73,
P
= 0.003), >10 respiratory symptoms during the most symptomatic period of COVID-19 (OR = 3.08,
P
= 0.006), the residual symptom of dizziness (OR = 2.43,
P
= 0.013), the residual symptom of difficult breathing (OR = 2.23,
P
= 0.027), life in danger due to COVID-19 (OR = 16.59,
P
= 0.006), and exposure to other traumatic events (OR = 2.94,
P
= 0.035). Less commonly seen PTSD symptoms in survivors were having nightmares about the event (34.5%), suddenly feeling like they were living through the event suddenly (25.9%), being unable to remember an important part of the event (32.8%), and overalertness (31.0%). Nearly one-fifth of the surviving HCWs had possible PTSD 6 months after the COVID-19 outbreak. Mental health services for this vulnerable population should include periodic screening for PTSD, expanded social support, and, when necessary, psychotherapy and psychopharmacological treatment. |
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ISSN: | 2158-3188 2158-3188 |
DOI: | 10.1038/s41398-021-01503-7 |