Article: Immediate and sustained psychological impact of an emerging infectious disease outbreak on health care workers

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TitleImmediate and sustained psychological impact of an emerging infectious disease outbreak on health care workers
AuthorsMcAlonan, GM1
Lee, AM1
Cheung, V1
Cheung, C1
Tsang, KWT1
Sham, PC1
Chua, SE1
Wong, JGWS1
KeywordsHealth care workers
Hong Kong
Outbreak
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
Stress
Issue Date2007
PublisherCanadian Psychiatric Association. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.cpa-apc.org/Publications/cjpHome.asp
CitationCanadian Journal Of Psychiatry, 2007, v. 52 n. 4, p. 241-247 [How to Cite?]
AbstractObjective: To assess the immediate and sustained psychological health of health care workers who were at high risk of exposure during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak. Methods: At the peak of the 2003 SARS outbreak, we assessed health care workers in 2 acute care Hong Kong general hospitals with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). One year later, we reassessed these health care workers with the PSS-10, the 21-Item Depression and Anxiety Scale (DASS-21), and the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R). We recruited high-risk health care workers who practised respiratory medicine and compared them with nonrespiratory medicine workers, who formed the low-risk health care worker control group. Results: In 2003, high-risk health care workers had elevated stress levels (PSS-10 score = 17.0) that were not significantly different from levels in low-risk health care worker control subjects (PSS-10 score = 15.9). More high-risk health care workers reported fatigue, poor sleep, worry about health, and fear of social contact, despite their confidence in infection-control measures. By 2004, however, stress levels in the high-risk group were not only higher (PSS-10 score = 18.6) but also significantly higher than scores among low-risk health care worker control subjects (PSS-10 score = 14.8, P < 0.05). In 2004, the perceived stress levels in the high-risk group were associated with higher depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress scores (P < 0.001). Posttraumatic stress scores were a partial mediator of the relation between the high risk of exposure to SARS and higher perceived stress. Conclusions: Health care workers who were at high risk of contracting SARS appear not only to have chronic stress but also higher levels of depression and anxiety. Front-line staff could benefit from stress management as part of preparation for future outbreaks.
ISSN0706-7437
2011 Impact Factor: 2.417
2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.111
ISI Accession Number IDWOS:000246061600006
ReferencesReferences in Scopus
DC Field
Value
dc.contributor.authorMcAlonan, GM
dc.contributor.authorLee, AM
dc.contributor.authorCheung, V
dc.contributor.authorCheung, C
dc.contributor.authorTsang, KWT
dc.contributor.authorSham, PC
dc.contributor.authorChua, SE
dc.contributor.authorWong, JGWS
dc.date.accessioned2010-09-06T08:18:40Z
dc.date.available2010-09-06T08:18:40Z
dc.date.issued2007
dc.description.abstractObjective: To assess the immediate and sustained psychological health of health care workers who were at high risk of exposure during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak. Methods: At the peak of the 2003 SARS outbreak, we assessed health care workers in 2 acute care Hong Kong general hospitals with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). One year later, we reassessed these health care workers with the PSS-10, the 21-Item Depression and Anxiety Scale (DASS-21), and the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R). We recruited high-risk health care workers who practised respiratory medicine and compared them with nonrespiratory medicine workers, who formed the low-risk health care worker control group. Results: In 2003, high-risk health care workers had elevated stress levels (PSS-10 score = 17.0) that were not significantly different from levels in low-risk health care worker control subjects (PSS-10 score = 15.9). More high-risk health care workers reported fatigue, poor sleep, worry about health, and fear of social contact, despite their confidence in infection-control measures. By 2004, however, stress levels in the high-risk group were not only higher (PSS-10 score = 18.6) but also significantly higher than scores among low-risk health care worker control subjects (PSS-10 score = 14.8, P < 0.05). In 2004, the perceived stress levels in the high-risk group were associated with higher depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress scores (P < 0.001). Posttraumatic stress scores were a partial mediator of the relation between the high risk of exposure to SARS and higher perceived stress. Conclusions: Health care workers who were at high risk of contracting SARS appear not only to have chronic stress but also higher levels of depression and anxiety. Front-line staff could benefit from stress management as part of preparation for future outbreaks.
dc.description.naturelink_to_subscribed_fulltext
dc.identifier.citationCanadian Journal Of Psychiatry, 2007, v. 52 n. 4, p. 241-247 [How to Cite?]
dc.identifier.epage247
dc.identifier.hkuros162793
dc.identifier.isiWOS:000246061600006
dc.identifier.issn0706-7437
2011 Impact Factor: 2.417
2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.111
dc.identifier.issue4
dc.identifier.pmid17500305
dc.identifier.scopuseid_2-s2.0-34248360776
dc.identifier.spage241
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/81512
dc.identifier.volume52
dc.languageeng
dc.publisherCanadian Psychiatric Association. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.cpa-apc.org/Publications/cjpHome.asp
dc.publisher.placeCanada
dc.relation.ispartofCanadian Journal of Psychiatry
dc.relation.referencesReferences in Scopus
dc.subject.meshDisease Outbreaks
dc.subject.meshHealth Personnel - psychology
dc.subject.meshSevere Acute Respiratory Syndrome - epidemiology - psychology
dc.subject.meshSickness Impact Profile
dc.subject.meshStress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - diagnosis - epidemiology - etiology
dc.subjectHealth care workers
dc.subjectHong Kong
dc.subjectOutbreak
dc.subjectSevere acute respiratory syndrome
dc.subjectStress
dc.titleImmediate and sustained psychological impact of an emerging infectious disease outbreak on health care workers
dc.typeArticle
Author Affiliations
  1. The University of Hong Kong