Posttraumatic stress disorder and depression of Chinese medical staff after 2 years of COVID‐19: A multicenter study

Abstract

Background: In December 2019, coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was first reported in Wuhan, China, and has had a negative psychological impact on the medical staff. However, the long-term psychological effects of COVID-19 were still unclear. We aimed to assess the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression among medical staff 2 years after COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, China. Methods: We conducted a multicenter study in five general hospitals in Wuhan, China. PTSD was assessed using the PTSD Checklist-5. Depression was measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Multivariate adjusted logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association among demographic variables, depressive indicators, and PTSD. Results: In a sample of 1795 medical staff, 295 (16.40%) participants reported PTSD and 329 (18.30%) reported depression. After multivariate adjusted logistic regression analyses, participants involved in COVID-19 clinical work, unsafe working environment, poor doctor-patient relationship, unhealth status, work dissatisfaction, and low family support were at a high risk for PTSD and depression 2 years after the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions:Although it has been more than 2 years after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, the mental health of medical staff remains a concern. In particular, medical staff involved in the clinical care of COVID-19 patients showed a higher risk of PTSD and depression 2 years after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study may provide some useful suggestions for psychological interventions for medical staff.