Late-onset PTSD and coping strategies for frontline nurses during the COVID-19 epidemic in China.

AIM: To evaluate the late-onset post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) situation, coping strategies and social supports for frontline clinical nurses 6 months after involvement in fighting against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in China.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional design.

METHODS

We recently randomly distributed a questionnaire online to Chinese nurses who had taken care of COVID-19 patients since the end of January 2020. The questionnaire was made up of three professional scales, the impact of event scale-revised, simplified coping style questionnaire and social support rating scale included.

RESULTS

The general prevalence of late-onset PTSD among frontline nurses was 88.19%. Nurses who worked in Hubei Province (the kindle place of the COVID-19 outbreak) showed lower risk of late-onset PTSD symptoms than those who did not. We also found that positive coping strategies were correlated with less late-onset PTSD symptoms. Meanwhile, getting more social supports could help these nurses to obtain positive coping strategies.