Journal of Trauma & Treatment

Objective: To understand the impact of COVID-19 epidemic on the mental health status of ICU practitioners in China and to explore the relevant factors that may affect the mental health status of first-line medical workers.

Methods: The study covered most of the provinces in China, and a questionnaire survey was conducted based on the WeChat platform and the Wenjuanxing online survey tool. With the method of anonymous investigation, we chose ICU practitioners to participate in the investigation from April 5, 2020 to April 7, 2020. The respondents were divided into two groups according to strict criteria of inclusion and exclusion: those who participated in the rescue work of COVID-19 (COVID-19 group) and those who did not (non-COVID-19 group). The SCL-90 self-evaluation scale was used for the evaluation of mental health status of the subjects.

Results: A total of 3851 respondents completed the questionnaire and were included in the analysis. First, the overall mental health status of the investigated population, compared with the Chinese norm (n=1388), was reflected in 9 related factor groups of the SCL-90 scale, and significant differences were found in every factor in both men and women, except for the interpersonal sensitivity in men. Second, the overall mental health of the COVID-19 group was better than that of the non-COVID-19 group by the SCL-90 scale. Third, for the COVID-19 group, we have revealed several influencing factors for their mental health, and the statistical results showed that these factors had a significant influence on the mental health of the subjects in the COVID-19 group.

Conclusion: The mental health status of the ICU practitioners in the COVID-19 group is better than that of the non-COVID-19 group, which could be attributed to a strenghened mentality and awareness of risks related to occupational exposure and enforced education on preventive measures for infectious diseases before being on duty.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), trauma is “an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape, or natural disaster”. However, a person may experience traumaas a response to any event they find physically or emotionally threatening or harmful. A traumatized person can feel a range of emotions both immediately after the event and in the long term. They may feel overwhelmed, helpless, shocked, or have difficulty processing their experiences. Trauma can also cause physical symptoms. Trauma can have long-term effects on the person’s well-being. If symptoms persist and do not decrease in severity, it can indicate that
the trauma has developed into a mental health disorder called posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Global Anxiety Disorders, Stress & Depression Treatment Market is forecast to reach USD 18.90 billion by 2026, according to a new report by reports and data. There has been a continued rise in the rate of anxiety disorders, stress & depression treatment in the global healthcare situation. Such a rise in the incidence rate of anxiety disorders, stress & depression treatment has resulted in focusing on the global healthcare scenario and reducing the incidence rate of such a mental healthcare condition. In the year 2019, more than 300 million individuals of all ages were suffering from depression in the global scenario. There have been 800,000 cases of suicides in the same year, the reasons behind which have been mostly anxiety disorders, stress & depression disorders. Such a rise in the incidence rate of depression and anxiety is one of the major factors driving the global anxiety disorders, stress & depression treatment market

The cardiovascular market is expected to register a CAGR of 6.3% during the forecast period (2019 - 2024). The increasing incidence of cardiovascular diseases and developing geriatric populace are the most considerable elements driving the growth of the cardiovascular devices market. According to the American College of Cardiology, cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounted for 800,000 deaths in the United States in 2017 alone. Among Americans, an average of one individual dies from cardiovascular disease, every 40 seconds. Coronary heart disease (CHD) accounts for the majority of CVD deaths, followed by means of stroke and heart failure. According to the European Heart Network, every year, cardiovascular disease (CVD) causes 3.9 million deaths in Europe and over 1.8 million deaths in the European Union (EU).

Mental health clinicians who treat childhood trauma are impacted in a variety of ways by this challenging work. These therapists bear witness to, contain and intervene with countless stories of childhood trauma, including abuse, neglect and other traumatic and adverse childhood experiences that children endure. Therapists who treat childhood trauma are continually engaging with unthinkable events that negatively impact the hearts, bodies, minds and overall functioning of youth. A possible consequence of childhood trauma treatment is for the therapist to experience vicarious trauma. This brief paper outlines the causes of vicarious trauma as well as steps clinicians can take to reduce the severity and frequency of experiencing vicarious trauma.