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HONG KONG STUDY SHOWS PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS IN HALF OF THE PATIENTS RECOVERING FROM SARS | |
| Contact: Dr. Dickson LY CHOW Phone: (852)26367754 Email: laiyinchow@hotmail.com Embargoed until: March 5, 2004 |
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Of all the events that occurred in the year of 2003, the most unforgettable one for the people of Hong Kong must have been the SARS (severe acute respiratory distress syndrome) epidemic. This disease, now known to have been caused by coronavirus, has infected over 8,000 people and claimed over 900 lives worldwide. 1,755 people were infected in Hong Kong with a death toll of 300. In a study on the psychiatric morbidities in patients recovering from SARS conducted by a group of psychiatrists from the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong, it was shown that nearly half of these patients were experiencing significant psychological distress. The results of this study were presented at the American Psychosomatic Society Annual Meeting, held March 3-6 in Orlando, Florida. 129 patients who had recovered from SARS were assessed by psychiatrists after they were discharged from the Prince of Wales Hospital, which was the place where the outbreak in Hong Kong began. The majority of patients were health care workers who contracted the disease during work. Patients were assessed by psychiatric interview and completion of several questionnaires that focused on psychological trauma, depressive symptoms, and impairment of functioning. Nearly half of the patients were found to be suffering from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, adjustment disorder or anxiety disorder. One tenth of the cases were rated as severe. Risk factors for developing psychological symptoms identified included fear before and after admission, frequent crying after admission, admission to intensive care unit and negative feelings during follow-up interview. Positive feelings before admission seemed to have a protective effect. | |
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Psychosomatic Medicine is the official peer-reviewed journal of the American Psychosomatic Society, published bimonthly. For information about the journal, contact Vicki White, Managing Editor for Manuscript Production,
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