Follow-up study on mental symptoms of SARS patients

Abstract

ObjectiveTo investigate mental symptoms of SARS patients and its related factors for three periods—admission, discharge and three months after SARS crisis and to carry out mental intervention and effect evaluation. Methods114 SARS patients were assessed by scale of self-compiled Common Status Questionnaire, SCL-90, PSSS, SCSQ, SES and EPQ. Results1.The SCL-90 total and factors scores including obsessive-compulsion, phobic anxiety went up during discharge compared with admission score:153.34±62.72/150.50±56.66,1.80±0.80/1.71±0.71,1.48±0.74/1.38±0.63. After that,these factors scores went score: 138.47±50.91/153.34±62.72,1.76±0.78/1.80±0.80,1.36±0.61/1.48±0.74 down. The factors scores of somatization and depression descended continuously for three period score:1.85±0.90/1.77±0.84/1.60±0.75,1.81±0.87/1.78±0.85/1.59±0.75,1.79±0.78/1.76±0.84/1.50±0.66. 2.The incidence on factors of obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, phobic anxiety ascended during discharge compared with admission. Then,these factors scores descended. The other factors went down continually for three periods(P0.05;Anxiety incidence decreased from 0.298 to 0.289 to 0.14,P0.05).3. The self-esteem was influencing factor on mental symptoms of SARS patients for three periods. Conscientious condition severity was influencing factor in admission and discharge.Negative coping was influencing factor in discharge and three months after SARS crisis. Education was influencing factor in three months after SARS crisis.4.After intervention,the most mental symptoms of 35 SARS patients had mental problems were improved. Dissimilarly, a part of mental symptoms got severity (Somatization score increased from 1.58±0.78 to 2.08±0.82,P0.01).Conclusions1.SARS patients exist severe mood disorders and have different influencing factors for three periods. They should be evaluated continuously and be intervened in time.2.The effect of mental intervention by telephone is not uncertainty.