Risk Perception and Psychological Impact in the Early Stage of the COVID-19 on General Hospital Workers in China

Abstract

Aims: In order to improve the efficiency of hospitals in public sudden pandemic diseases, it is important to understand how it affects the hospital workers. The purpose of this study was to discuss the risk perception and psychological impact in the early stage of the COVID-19 on hospital staff, as well as the impact of hospitals of different levels, gender, age, post and working environment on it. Methods: In late February 2020, shortly after the COVID-19 epidemic situation had clearly controlled in China, a questionnaire was distributed consisting of questions on sociodemographic characteristics, 19 stress-related questions and the 15 risk perceptional questions to all 1837 workers from different levels of hospitals in different regions of China. Exploratory factor analysis was applied to these questions, and this produced four stress-related factors for evaluation (anxiety about infection, depression about infection, exhaustion, and feeling of hypothetical scenario), three risk perceptional factors for evaluation (risk percept about the pandemic in the region, concern pandemic, and influence). Multiple regression models were used to evaluate the association of individual characteristics with each score of the 7 factors, risk perception and psychological rating scale (RPAS). Results: 1837 valid questionnaires were obtained. The medical staff with more mental or psychological counseling was less affected, and the hospitals with lower frequency of pandemic information were more likely to feel unprotected. Working in a high-risk environment, people had a higher total score of RPAS and were more likely to feel anxious and tired, but they had a higher awareness of risk protection. Conclusions: It is necessary for medical institutions to protect hospital staff during the early stage of the pandemic via rapidly share information about the COVID-19, and provide necessary risk perception and psychological support can help to reduce the impact of the epidemic situation (COVID-19) on hospital staff.