Influencing Factors of High PTSD Among Medical Staff During COVID-19: Evidences From Both Meta-analysis and Subgroup Analysis

• Published in: Safety and health at work 2022-09, Vol.13 (3), p.269-278
• Main Authors: Qi, Guojia, Yuan, Ping, Qi, Miao, Hu, Xiuli, Shi, Shangpeng, Shi, Xiuquan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: COVID-19; medical staff; meta-analysis; post-traumatic stress disorder; Review
• ISSN: 2093-7911; 2093-7997
• DOI: 10.1016/j.shaw.2022.06.003

BackgroundPTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD) had a great impact on health care workers during the COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease 2019, COVID-19). Better knowledge of the prevalence of PTSD and its risk factors is a major public health problem. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence and important risk factors of PTSD among medical staff during the COVID-19. MethodsThe databases were searched for studies published during the COVID-19, and a PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis) compliant systematic review (PROSPERO-CRD 42021278970) was carried out to identify articles from multiple databases reporting the prevalence of PTSD outcomes among medical staff. Proportion random effect analysis, I 2 statistic, quality assessment, subgroup analysis, and sensitivity analysis were carried out. ResultsA total of 28 cross-sectional studies and the PTSD results of doctors and nurses were summarized from 14 and 27 studies: the prevalences were 31% (95% CI [confidence interval, CI]: 21%-40%) and 38% (95% CI: 30%-45%) in doctors and nurses, respectively. The results also showed seven risks (p < 0.05): long working hours, isolation wards, COVID-19 symptoms, nurses, women, fear of infection, and pre-existing mental illness. Two factors were of borderline significance: higher professional titles and married. ConclusionHealth care workers have a higher prevalence of PTSD during COVID-19. Health departments should provide targeted preventive measures for medical staff away from PTSD.