Adjustment outcomes in Chinese patients following one-month recovery from severe acute respiratory syndrome in Hong Kong

J Nerv Ment Dis. 2004 Dec;192(12):868-71. doi: 10.1097/01.nmd.0000147169.03998.dc.

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the short-term adjustment outcomes including distress, self-esteem, and quality of life among Chinese patients after 1-month recovery from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Hong Kong and to investigate the predictive abilities of a set of selected variables on the outcomes. At 1-month recovery, 100 SARS survivors (mean age = 37; 66 women) and 184 community subjects completed self-administered questionnaires. In the General Health Questionnaire-28, 61% of the SARS survivors were identified as distressed cases under a conservative cutoff score of 6. Compared with the community sample, SARS survivors had significantly more distress and poor quality of life. Being a healthcare worker, severity of SARS symptoms, steroid dosage, and social support accounted for a portion of variances of different measures. Early psychiatric screening and intervention may be beneficial for the adjustment of SARS survivors after short-term recovery. Future research on the long-term impact of SARS is recommended.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological*
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Convalescence / psychology*
  • Female
  • Health Personnel / psychology
  • Health Personnel / statistics & numerical data
  • Health Status*
  • Hong Kong / ethnology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care
  • Personality Inventory / statistics & numerical data
  • Quality of Life
  • Self Concept
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / ethnology
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / psychology*
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Social Adjustment*
  • Stress, Psychological / diagnosis
  • Stress, Psychological / psychology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Survivors / classification
  • Survivors / psychology