Prevalence and related factors of post-traumatic stress disorder among medical staff members exposed to H7N9 patients

Tang, Liling; Pan, Lingling; Yuan, Liping; Zha, Lei

Exposure to trauma has been associated with psychological distress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [5] . PTSD is a state of psychological unbalance following an exposure to traumatic events; people with PTSD often re-experience traumatic events, demonstrate avoidance behavior, and become irritable [6] . PTSD is a severe anxiety disorder that can result in serious disability across several domains of functioning [7] . PTSD symptoms have also been associated with poor quality of life [8] . Kessler [9] found a 7.8% lifetime prevalence of PTSD among the general population and a higher prevalence among the high-risk population. Medical staff members usually work in the front lines at times of epidemics and natural disasters, such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak, earthquakes, and other fatal epidemics. Harsh environments, depressing settings, and workload pressure can even threaten the lives and impose psychological trauma on these workers and increase their sensitivity to PTSD. Ping Wu [10] evaluated the mental health of medical staff members who were involved in the SARS outbreak and found that about 10% of the respondents had experienced high levels of PTSD symptoms since the outbreak. Meanwhile, those respondents who had been isolated, worked in high-risk workplaces such as SARS wards, or had friends or close relatives who contacted SARS were two to three times more likely to develop high levels of PTSD symptoms than those who were not exposed to the virus. In conclusion, Ping Wu suggested further examinations and interventions on the mental health of medical staff members involved in the SARS outbreak.