Relevant Factors and Intervention Measures of Psychological Stress-Induced Hyperthermia among Medical Staff in Temporary COVID-19 Negative Pressure Wards

Ling  Lei; Jie  Tang; Dong  Su; Dazhi  Deng; Xuemei  Huang

doi:10.18502/ijph.v50i12.7935

Ling Lei Department of Clinical Psychology, Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nan-ning, Guangxi, China
Jie Tang Department of Community Healthcare Center, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, Guangxi, China
Dong Su Department of Community Healthcare Center, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, Guangxi, China
Dazhi Deng Department of Drug Clinical Trials, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, Guangxi, China
Xuemei Huang Department of Drug Clinical Trials, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, Guangxi, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v50i12.7935

Keywords: Psychological stress-induced hyperthermia; Somnipathy; Generalized anxiety disorder; COVID-19

Abstract

Background: Medical staff working in COVID-19 wards must be isolated and observed for 14 days upon the occurrence of psychological stress-induced hyperthermia (PSH). Such measures could result in great psychological pressure and incur considerable losses in anti-disease resources.

Methods: In this study, the psychological conditions of medical staff were assessed over a period of 7 days in COVID-19 isolation wards of the People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China and 7 days after leaving the wards by using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C). The relevant factors of PSH were analyzed by t- and rank sum tests.

Results: A total of 10 females with an average body temperature of 37.36 ± 0.07 ℃ were included in the PSH group. Another 103 females and 53 males with an average body temperature of 36.66 ± 0.21 ℃ were included in the control group. The PSQI, GAD-7, PHQ-9, IES-R, and PCL-C scores of the PSH group were higher than those of the control group. Binary regression analysis indicated that the odds ratios of the PSQI and GAD-7 scores were 12.98 and 3.81, respectively (P < 0.05). After positive intervention, the body temperature and psychological scale scores of both groups returned to normal ranges.

Conclusion: Working in COVID-19 wards could cause susceptible medical staff to suffer from PSH. Female sex, somnipathy, and GAD are independent risk factors of PSH.