Article: Stress and psychological distress among SARS survivors 1 year after the outbreak

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TitleStress and psychological distress among SARS survivors 1 year after the outbreak
AuthorsLee, AM1
Wong, JGWS1
McAlonan, GM1
Cheung, V1
Cheung, C1
Sham, PC1
Chu, NM1 2
Wong, PC3
Tsang, KWT1
Chua, SE1
KeywordsAnxiety
Depression
Health care workers
Hong Kong
Infectious disease outbreak
Long-term psychological distress
Posttraumatic symptoms
SARS
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
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. 233-240 [How to Cite?]
AbstractObjective: Our study examined the stress level and psychological distress of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) survivors 1 year after the outbreak. Method: During the SARS outbreak in 2003, we used the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) to assess SARS survivors treated in 2 major hospitals (non-health care workers, n = 49; health care workers, n = 30). We invited SARS survivors from the same hospitals (non-health care workers, n = 63; health care workers, n = 33) to complete the PSS-10 again in 2004. At that time, they were also asked to complete the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and measures of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic symptoms. PSS-10 scores were also obtained from matched community control subjects during the outbreak (n = 145) and again in 2004 (n = 112). Results: SARS survivors had higher stress levels during the outbreak, compared with control subjects (PSS-10 scores =19.8 and 17.9, respectively; P < 0.01), and this persisted 1 year later (PSS-10 scores =19.9 and 17.3, respectively; P < 0.01) without signs of decrease. In 2004, SARS survivors also showed worrying levels of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic symptoms. An alarming proportion (64%) scored above the GHQ-12 cut-off that suggests psychiatric morbidity. During the outbreak, health care worker SARS survivors had stress levels similar to those of non-health care workers, but health care workers showed significantly higher stress levels in 2004 (PSS-10 score = 22.8, compared with PSS-10 score = 18.4; P < 0.05) and had higher depression, anxiety, posttraumatic symptoms, and GHQ-12 scores. Conclusions: One year after the outbreak, SARS survivors still had elevated stress levels and worrying levels of psychological distress. The situation of health care worker SARS survivors is particularly worrying. The long-term psychological implications of infectious diseases should not be ignored. Mental health services could play an important role in rehabilitation.
ISSN0706-7437
2011 Impact Factor: 2.417
2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.111
ISI Accession Number IDWOS:000246061600005
ReferencesReferences in Scopus
DC Field
Value
dc.contributor.authorLee, AM
dc.contributor.authorWong, JGWS
dc.contributor.authorMcAlonan, GM
dc.contributor.authorCheung, V
dc.contributor.authorCheung, C
dc.contributor.authorSham, PC
dc.contributor.authorChu, NM
dc.contributor.authorWong, PC
dc.contributor.authorTsang, KWT
dc.contributor.authorChua, SE
dc.date.accessioned2010-09-06T08:19:33Z
dc.date.available2010-09-06T08:19:33Z
dc.date.issued2007
dc.description.abstractObjective: Our study examined the stress level and psychological distress of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) survivors 1 year after the outbreak. Method: During the SARS outbreak in 2003, we used the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) to assess SARS survivors treated in 2 major hospitals (non-health care workers, n = 49; health care workers, n = 30). We invited SARS survivors from the same hospitals (non-health care workers, n = 63; health care workers, n = 33) to complete the PSS-10 again in 2004. At that time, they were also asked to complete the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and measures of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic symptoms. PSS-10 scores were also obtained from matched community control subjects during the outbreak (n = 145) and again in 2004 (n = 112). Results: SARS survivors had higher stress levels during the outbreak, compared with control subjects (PSS-10 scores =19.8 and 17.9, respectively; P < 0.01), and this persisted 1 year later (PSS-10 scores =19.9 and 17.3, respectively; P < 0.01) without signs of decrease. In 2004, SARS survivors also showed worrying levels of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic symptoms. An alarming proportion (64%) scored above the GHQ-12 cut-off that suggests psychiatric morbidity. During the outbreak, health care worker SARS survivors had stress levels similar to those of non-health care workers, but health care workers showed significantly higher stress levels in 2004 (PSS-10 score = 22.8, compared with PSS-10 score = 18.4; P < 0.05) and had higher depression, anxiety, posttraumatic symptoms, and GHQ-12 scores. Conclusions: One year after the outbreak, SARS survivors still had elevated stress levels and worrying levels of psychological distress. The situation of health care worker SARS survivors is particularly worrying. The long-term psychological implications of infectious diseases should not be ignored. Mental health services could play an important role in rehabilitation.
dc.description.naturelink_to_subscribed_fulltext
dc.identifier.citationCanadian Journal Of Psychiatry, 2007, v. 52 n. 4, p. 233-240 [How to Cite?]
dc.identifier.epage240
dc.identifier.hkuros162801
dc.identifier.isiWOS:000246061600005
dc.identifier.issn0706-7437
2011 Impact Factor: 2.417
2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.111
dc.identifier.issue4
dc.identifier.pmid17500304
dc.identifier.scopuseid_2-s2.0-34248394344
dc.identifier.spage233
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/81584
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.meshDepressive Disorder, Major - diagnosis - epidemiology - psychology
dc.subject.meshHealth Personnel - statistics and numerical data
dc.subject.meshSevere Acute Respiratory Syndrome - epidemiology - psychology
dc.subject.meshStress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - diagnosis - epidemiology - psychology
dc.subject.meshSurvivors - psychology - statistics and numerical data
dc.subjectAnxiety
dc.subjectDepression
dc.subjectHealth care workers
dc.subjectHong Kong
dc.subjectInfectious disease outbreak
dc.subjectLong-term psychological distress
dc.subjectPosttraumatic symptoms
dc.subjectSARS
dc.subjectSevere acute respiratory syndrome
dc.titleStress and psychological distress among SARS survivors 1 year after the outbreak
dc.typeArticle
Author Affiliations
  1. The University of Hong Kong
  2. United Christian Hospital Hong Kong
  3. Grantham Hospital Hong Kong