Psychological Distress and Risk Factors in Frontline Nurses Confronting COVID-19 in Less Severely Affected Areas

Abstract

The current study investigated the prevalence and risk factors of somatization, depression, and anxiety among 374 frontline nurses in less severely affected areas during the initial period of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. The prevalence of somatization, depression, and anxiety among frontline nurses was 41.4%, 40.1%, and 37.4%, respectively. Nurses from provincial-level hospitals were less likely to report somatization (odds ratio [OR] = 0.50; p = 0.018), depression (OR = 0.52; p = 0.024), and anxiety (OR = 0.35; p < 0.001) than those from county-level hospitals. Longer service duration was significantly associated with a higher likelihood of reporting somatization (OR = 1.06; p = 0.008) and depression (OR = 1.06; p = 0.006). Psychological distress exists in frontline nurses in less severely affected areas, and hospital levels and service duration are independent risk factors for psychological stress in these nurses. Maintaining nurses' mental health is an important issue in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to sufficient distribution of medical resources between hospitals at different levels. [ Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 61 (4), 37–44.]