Psychology Research and Behavior Management (May 2023)

High Prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Psychological Distress Among Healthcare Workers in COVID-19 Field Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Study from Vietnam

  • Tran HTT,
  • Nguyen YH,
  • Vuong TD,
  • Bui LV,
  • Doan HT,
  • Le HTT,
  • Cong Le T,
  • Nguyen TQ,
  • Do SN,
  • Nguyen PD,
  • Luong CQ,
  • Vu TS,
  • Tran SN,
  • Doan NB,
  • Hoang LB,
  • Nguyen TV

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 16
pp. 1663 – 1675

Abstract

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Ha Thi Thu Tran,1,* Yen Hoang Nguyen,1,* Thuy Dinh Vuong,2 Loi Van Bui,3 Hue Thi Doan,1 Ha Thi Thu Le,1 Thien Cong Le,1 Thai Quoc Nguyen,4 Son Ngoc Do,5 Phuong Doan Nguyen,6 Chinh Quoc Luong,5 Tung Son Vu,7 Son Nam Tran,8 Ngoc Bao Doan,9 Long Bao Hoang,10 Tuan Van Nguyen1,11 1Department of Psychiatry, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam; 2Department of Schizophrenia, Vietnam National Institute of Mental Health, Hanoi, Vietnam; 3Department of Stress-Related Disorders, Vietnam National Institute of Mental Health, Hanoi, Vietnam; 4Center of Tropical Diseases, Bach Mai Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam; 5Center for Emergency Medicine, Bach Mai Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam; 6Outpatient Department, Construction Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam; 7Department of Mood Disorders, Vietnam National Institute of Mental Health, Hanoi, Vietnam; 8Department of Oncology, Vietnam National Hospital of Traditional Medicine, Hanoi, Vietnam; 9School of Preventive medicine and Public health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam; 10Research and Training Management Department, Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hanoi, Vietnam; 11Vietnam National Institute of Mental Health, Hanoi, Vietnam*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Ha Thi Thu Tran, Email [email protected]: To evaluate the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychological disturbances in the Vietnamese healthcare workers (HCWs) at COVID-19 field hospitals.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using the Impact of Event Scale–Revised (IES-R) to measure PTSD and the Depression Anxiety Stress scale (DASS) to measure other psychological disturbances. The anxiety about COVID-19 was evaluated by the fear of COVID-19 (FOC) scale. A self-developed questionnaire was used to assess work conditions and HCW’s major concerns and preparedness. Ordinal logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with the severity of PTSD. A structural modeling equation (SEM) model was fitted to examine the correlation between PTSD and other psychological disturbances.Results: A total of 542 HCWs participated in this study. The prevalence of PTSD was 21.2%, most cases were mild. In the ordinal logistic regression analysis, a history of mental illness, poor preparedness, working in a condition with poor resources, a greater number of concerns, and greater fear of COVID-19 were independently associated with higher severity of PTSD. The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 46.8%, 38.3%, and 60.2, respectively. In the SEM model, PTSD and psychological disturbances had a strong correlation (standardized covariance 0.86).Conclusion: The prevalence of PTSD and other psychological disturbances was alarmingly high among HCWs who worked at COVID-19 field hospitals. The reported associated factors can be useful for policymakers and health authorities in the preparation for future pandemics.Keywords: PTSD, COVID-19, healthcare workers, DASS, fear of COVID, psychological disturbances

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