Citation

Song X, Zhou Y, Rao W, Zhang X. BMC Psychiatry 2021; 21(1): e276.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group - BMC)

DOI

10.1186/s12888-021-03294-z

PMID

34059033

PMCID

PMC8165950

Abstract

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare prevalence and risk factors of somatization (SOM) between health care workers and non-health care workers during COVID-19 outbreak in China.
METHODS: From 14 February to 29 March 2020, an online survey was performed in both 605 health care workers and 1151 non-health care workers. Based on the somatization dimension score of the Symptom Checklist-90, participants were divided into non-SOM group and SOM group.
RESULTS: Health care workers had higher prevalence rate of SOM (p < 0.001) than non-health care workers, with an OR of 1.70 (95% CI, 1.22-2.36, p = 0.002). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that in non-health care workers, the risk factors of SOM included other ethnicities, insomnia, and suicide, while in health care workers, the risk factors included working 6-8 h per day, and working ≥10 h per day during COVID-19 outbreak.
CONCLUSIONS: Our research suggests that both non-health care workers and health care workers have a relatively high prevalence of somatization. However, the related factors for somatization in both groups are significantly different, showing that medical service-related factors are associated with somatization in health care workers, while demographic and clinical factors are associated with somatization in non-health care workers.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; Risk Factors; Risk factors; COVID-19; Anxiety; Depression; Health Personnel; Prevalence; Mental Health; Surveys and Questionnaires; China; Somatization; SARS-CoV-2; Disease Outbreaks; Health care workers