Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 12, 2025
Polar Histogram Visualization of Acute Stress Disorder Scale Scores for Comprehensive Clinical Assessment
Published on: December 6, 2024
Psychological impact of COVID-19 on medical care workers in China
Ming-Yu Si1, Xiao-You Su2, Yu Jiang3
1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Insights
The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant psychological distress among Chinese medical workers, with high rates of posttraumatic stress and other adverse symptoms. Early screening and interventions are crucial for mitigating these negative mental health impacts.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Psychology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic imposed extreme workloads and pressure on healthcare professionals globally.
- Limited understanding exists regarding the specific psychological impact on medical workers in China during the early stages of the pandemic.
- This study investigated the psychological effects of COVID-19 on Chinese medical personnel.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the prevalence of adverse psychological outcomes among medical care workers in China during the COVID-19 epidemic.
- To explore the relationship between psychosocial factors (perceived threat, social support, coping strategies) and psychological distress.
- To determine factors influencing adverse psychological outcomes in this population.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey was conducted from February 23 to March 5, 2020, involving 863 medical care workers across seven Chinese provinces.
- Standardized questionnaires, including the Impact of Event Scale-6 (IES-6) and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS), were used to assess psychological outcomes.
- Exploratory Factor Analysis and multivariate regression analyses were employed to analyze perceived threat dimensions and determinants of psychological distress.
Main Results:
- Posttraumatic stress symptoms were prevalent, with 40.2% screening positive for significant symptoms.
- 13.6% experienced mild to extremely severe depression, 13.9% anxiety, and 8.6% stress.
- Perceived threat and passive coping correlated positively with distress, while social support and active coping correlated negatively. Nurses reported higher anxiety levels.
Conclusions:
- Adverse psychological symptoms, including posttraumatic stress, depression, anxiety, and stress, were common among Chinese medical workers during the COVID-19 epidemic.
- The findings underscore the need for systematic screening for psychological distress in healthcare professionals.
- Developing targeted preventive measures and interventions is essential to mitigate the negative psychological impact of epidemics on medical personnel.
Background:
Medical care workers experienced unprecedented levels of workload and pressure since the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Little is known about its exact impact on medical care workers and related factors in China. This study aims to identify the psychological impact of COVID-19 on medical care workers in China.
Methods:
From February 23 to March 5, 2020, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 863 medical care workers from seven provinces in China using standard questionnaires measuring adverse psychological outcomes including Impact of Event Scale-6 (IES-6), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale(DASS)and related psychosocial factors like perceived threat, social support and coping strategies. Exploratory Factor analysis was performed to identify the dimensions of perceived threat by study participants. Multivariate regression was used to examine the determinants of adverse psychological outcomes.
Results:
Posttraumatic stress (PTS) were prevalent in this sample of health care professionals, and 40.2% indicated positive screens for significant posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. The proportion of having mild to extremely severe symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress were 13.6, 13.9 and 8.6%, respectively. Perceived threat and passive coping strategies were positively correlated to PTS and DASS scores, while perceived social support and active coping strategies were negatively correlated to DASS scores. Nurses were more likely to be anxious than others among medical care workers during the COVID-19 epidemic.
Conclusions:
Adverse psychological symptoms were prevalent among medical care workers in China during the COVID-19 epidemic. Screening for adverse psychological outcomes and developing corresponding preventive measures would be beneficial in decreasing negative psychological outcomes.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Psychological Responses to Stress
01:30Stress and Mental Health
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
01:27Psychoneuroimmunology: Cardiovascular Disease
A key area of focus in PNI is the relationship between stress and coronary...
01:29Issues And Trends In Healthcare Delivery System
Cost Containment
Payment for healthcare services has historically promoted adoption of costly and often unnecessary or inefficient...
01:29Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
01:24Treatment Strategies for Psychological Disorders
Psychological therapies focus on modifying emotions, thoughts, and behaviors through talking, interpreting, listening, rewarding, challenging, and modeling. Clinical psychologists, counselors, and social workers commonly practice psychotherapy. Clinical...