AUTHOR=Zhao Shanguang , Long Fangfang , Wei Xin , Tuo Jianqing , Wang Hui , Ni Xiaoli , Wang Xin 

TITLE=The Effect of Regional Factors on the Mental Health Status of Frontline Nurses and Patients With COVID-19 During COVID-19: The Role of Depression and Anxiety

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.857472

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2022.857472

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=At the end of 2019, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, experienced the ravages of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to explore the mental health status of military nurse personnel assisting in the fight against COVID-19 and local nurse personnel in Wuhan, as well as the differences in mental health status between nurses and COVID-19 patients that provide a reference basis for psychological crisis intervention. A cluster sampling method was used to select frontline nurses and COVID-19 patients (sample size 1000+) from two mobile cabin hospitals in Wuhan for an on-site questionnaire survey from January to March 2020. The questionnaire consists of socio-demographic information, Patient Health Questionnaire 9(PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7), General Mental Health Service Questionnaire and Work Intensity and Physical Status Questionnaire.The results showed that depression was present in nurses (19.73%) and  patients (23.33%) with PHQ-9 scores >10; anxiety was present in nurses (10.12%) and patients (12.47%) with GAD-7 >10. The difference between the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores of aid nurses and local nurses was statistically significant, where local nurses had higher levels of anxiety and depression than support nurses. The differences in PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores were also statistically significant (p < 0.001) when comparing patients from different regions, with anxiety and depression rates of 30.19% and 16.04% in local patients and 16.74% and 9.50% in foreign patients. The comparison between nurses and patients showed that the nurses were more depressed than the patients, while the patients were more anxious. Local nurses in Wuhan had a higher workload intensity than aid nurses (77.72% vs. 57.29%). Over 95% of  nurses and patients reported that they had not received any form of psychological counseling before the COVID-19 outbreak. 12.87% of frontline nurses in Wuhan had a history of taking hypnotic drugs. However, fewer patients  took medication than frontline nurses. Anxiety and depression levels were far higher among local nurses and patients in Wuhan than. The nurses had higher levels of depression, while the patients had higher anxiety levels. Providing targeted mental health services to healthcare professionals and patients is necessary when experiencing the impact of a major event.