Mental Health and Psychosocial Problems of Medical Health Workers during the COVID-19 Epidemic in China

<b><i>Objective:</i></b> We explored whether medical health workers had more psychosocial problems than nonmedical health workers during the COVID-19 outbreak. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> An online survey was run from February 19 to March 6, 2020; a total of 2,182 Chinese subjects participated. Mental health variables were assessed via the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the Symptom Check List-revised (SCL-90-R), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4), which included a 2-item anxiety scale and a 2-item depression scale (PHQ-2). <b><i>Results:</i></b> Compared with nonmedical health workers (<i>n</i> = 1,255), medical health workers (<i>n</i> = 927) had a higher prevalence of insomnia (38.4 vs. 30.5%, <i>p</i> < 0.01), anxiety (13.0 vs. 8.5%, <i>p</i> < 0.01), depression (12.2 vs. 9.5%; <i>p</i>< 0.04), somatization (1.6 vs. 0.4%; <i>p</i> < 0.01), and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (5.3 vs. 2.2%; <i>p</i> < 0.01). They also had higher total scores of ISI, GAD-2, PHQ-2, and SCL-90-R obsessive-compulsive symptoms (<i>p</i> ≤ 0.01). Among medical health workers, having organic disease was an independent factor for insomnia, anxiety, depression, somatization, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (<i>p</i> < 0.05 or 0.01). Living in rural areas, being female, and being at risk of contact with COVID-19 patients were the most common risk factors for insomnia, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and depression (<i>p</i> < 0.01 or 0.05). Among nonmedical health workers, having organic disease was a risk factor for insomnia, depression, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (<i>p</i> < 0.01 or 0.05). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> During the COVID-19 outbreak, medical health workers had psychosocial problems and risk factors for developing them. They were in need of attention and recovery programs.