AUTHOR=Chen Xi , Chen Jiyao , Zhang Meimei , Dong Rebecca Kechen , Li Jizhen , Dong Zhe , Ye Yingying , Tong Lingyao , Zhao Ruiying , Cao Wenrui , Li Peikai , Zhang Stephen X. 

TITLE=Meta-Regression on the Heterogenous Factors Contributing to the Prevalence of Mental Health Symptoms During the COVID-19 Crisis Among Healthcare Workers

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychiatry

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.833865

DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2022.833865

ISSN=1664-0640

ABSTRACT=Objective: This paper used meta-regression to analyze the heterogenous factors contributing to the prevalence rate of mental health symptoms of the general and frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) in China under the COVID-19 crisis.
Method: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Medrxiv and pooled data using random-effects meta-analyses to estimate the prevalence rates, and ran meta-regression to tease out the key sources of the heterogeneity.
Results: The meta-regression results uncovered several predictors of the heterogeneity in prevalence rates among published studies, including severity (e.g., above severe vs. above moderate, p<0.01; above moderate vs. above mild, p<0.01), type of mental symptoms (PTSD vs. anxiety, p=0.04), population (frontline vs. general HCWs, p<0.01), sampling location (Wuhan vs. non-Wuhan, p=0.04), and study quality (p=0.04).
Conclusion: The meta-regression findings provide evidence on the factors contributing to the prevalence rate of mental health symptoms of the general and frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) to guide future research and evidence-based medicine in several specific directions.
Trial registration: CRD42020220592