Factors associated with post-traumatic stress disorder of nurses exposed to corona virus disease 2019 in China

Abstract

Quantitative studies using validated questionnaires on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) of Nurses exposed to corona virus disease 2019 in China are rare and the baseline PTSD must first be evaluated before prevention. This study aimed to investigate the factors potentially involved in the level of PTSD of Nurses exposed to COVID-19 in China.In this cross-sectional study, male and female Nurses (n = 202) exposed to COVID-19 from HuBei China were included in the final sample. The PTSD Checklist-Civilian (PCL-C) questionnaire and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ) were used for evaluation. Multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis and spearman correlation test were performed to assess the association between various factors associated with PTSD.The incidence of PTSD in Nurses exposed to COVID-19 was 16.83%, the PCL-C score was 27.00 (21.00-34.00), and the highest score in the three dimensions was avoidance dimension 9.50 (7.00-13.25); multivariable stepwise linear regression analysis showed that job satisfaction and gender were independently associated with lower PCL-C scores (both P < .001); PCL-C scores were correlated with positive coping (r = À0.151, P = .032), negative coping (r = 0.154, P = .029).Nurses exposed to COVID-19 from HuBei China with job satisfaction, male and positive coping had low PCL-C scores which necessitate reducing the PTSD level by ways of improving job satisfaction, positive response, and strengthening the psychological counseling of female nurses in order to reduce the risk of psychological impairment.

Incidence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after Coronavirus Disease

“…During the COVID-19 pandemic, several studies are being performed on the incidence of PTSD [7][8][9][10]. In April 2020, Fekih-Romdhane et al [7] investigated the presence of PTSD in 603 Tunisian people and reported that 33% of the participants had PTSD.…”

“…Forte et al [8] investigated the presence of PTSD in 2,286 Italians during the massive COVID-19 outbreak in Italy and found that PTSD was present in 29.5% of the participants. Lastly, Wang et al [10] evaluated 202 nurses exposed to COVID-19 in Hubei, China, and reported that 16.8% of them had PTSD.…”

“…Although a high prevalence of PTSD is expected among patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, only a few studies have addressed this important issue [7][8][9][10]. There was a massive COVID-19 outbreak in Daegu, Korea, between February and April 2020 [11].…”

Mental health in times of COVID: Thoughts after the state of alarm

“…In a recent study conducted in China that included 202 nurses exposed to COVID-19, the incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder was 16.8%. 9 Post-traumatic stress symptoms were associated with female gender, lower job satisfaction and stress coping strategies (positive relationship with negative coping strategies, inverse relationship with positive coping strategies). As yet, we still do not know the effectiveness of the psychological support measures for professionals in reducing the risk of mental pathology and post-traumatic stress disorder in health professionals.…”

Salud mental en tiempos de la COVID: reflexiones tras el estado de alarma

“…No obstante, el soporte psicológico individual y en grupo para estos profesionales puede ser de ayuda para reducir el malestar emocional y el estrés que sufren. En un estudio reciente realizado en China que incluyó a 202 enfermeras expuestas a la COVID-19, las tasas de estrés postraumático fueron del 16,8% 9 . Los síntomas de estrés postraumático se asociaron al género femenino, a menor satisfacción laboral y a estrategias de afrontamiento del estrés (relación positiva con estrategias de afrontamiento negativas, relación inversa con estrategias de afrontamiento positivas).…”