Positive mental health-related impacts of the SARS epidemic on the general public in Hong Kong and their associations with other negative impacts

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Summary

Objectives

To investigate 2 positive impacts (better family/social support and lifestyle changes) and their associations with other negative impacts.

Study design and participants

A telephone survey using random telephone numbers and a structured questionnaire was conducted in Hong Kong general population. Eight hundred and eighteen Hong Kong residents of age 18–60 years completed the interview (response rate: 65%) at around end of June 2003, the early ending phase of the epidemic.

Results

Over 60% of the respondents stated that they cared more about the family members' feelings; about 30%–40% stated that they found their friends, their family members more supportive or having more sharing with others when not feeling happy; only a few percent felt the opposite. Further, about 2/3 of the respondents paid more attention to their mental health. About 35%–40% took more time to rest, for relaxation or doing exercise. These items were, in general, negatively associated with post-traumatic stress, perception of stress and other perceptions that were related to SARS.

Conclusions

SARS have brought some positive impacts on social/family support, mental health awareness and lifestyle changes. These positive impacts were associated with other relevant negative impacts and might be important cushions of the negative impact.

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Most cited references 17

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Exposure to terrorism, stress-related mental health symptoms, and coping behaviors among a nationally representative sample in Israel.

Avraham Bleich, Marc Gelkopf, Zahava Solomon (2003)

The terrorist attacks on Israeli society have been ongoing since September 2000. However, few studies have examined the impact of terrorism on nationally representative population samples, and no study has examined the psychological impact of ongoing terrorism in Israel. To determine the level of exposure to terrorist attacks and the prevalence of traumatic stress-related (TSR) symptoms, symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and sense of safety after 19 months of terrorism in Israel, and to identify correlates of the psychological sequelae and the modes of coping with the terrorism. Telephone survey conducted April-May 2002, using a strata sampling method, of 902 eligible households and a representative sample of 742 Israeli residents older than 18 years (82% contact rate) and a final participation of 512 (57%). Number of TSR symptoms, rates of those with symptom criteria for PTSD and acute stress disorder assessed by the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire, self-reported feelings of depression, optimism, sense of safety, help-seeking, and modes of coping. Of 512 survey participants, 84 (16.4%) had been directly exposed to a terrorist attack and 191 (37.3%) had a family member or friend who had been exposed. Of 510 participants who responded to questions about TSR symptoms, 391 (76.7%) had at least 1 TSR symptom (mean, 4.0 [SD, 4.5]; range, 0-23; mean intensity, 0.8; range, 0-4). Symptom criteria for PTSD were met by 48 participants (9.4%) and criteria for acute stress disorder, by 1 participant; 299 (58.6%) reported feeling depressed. The majority of respondents expressed optimism about their personal future (421/512 [82.2%]) and the future of Israel (307/509 [66.8%]), and expressed self-efficacy with regard to their ability to function in a terrorist attack (322/431 [74.6%]). Most expressed a low sense of safety with respect to themselves (307/509 [60.4%]) and their relatives (345/507 [67.9%]). Few reported a need for professional help (27/506 [5.3%]). Female sex, sense of safety, and use of tranquilizers, alcohol, and cigarettes to cope were associated with TSR symptoms and symptom criteria for PTSD; level of exposure and objective risk were not. The most prevalent coping mechanisms were active information search about loved ones and social support. Considering the nature and length of the Israeli traumatic experience, the psychological impact may be considered moderate. Although the survey participants showed distress and lowered sense of safety, they did not develop high levels of psychiatric distress, which may be related to a habituation process and to coping mechanisms.

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Impacts of SARS on health-seeking behaviors in general population in Hong Kong

Joseph Lau, Xilin Yang, H.Y. Tsui … (2005)

Background. The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic that occurred in Hong Kong in 2003 caused serious public health consequences. Its impacts on health-seeking behaviors of the general public have not been assessed. Methods. Two cross-sectional, random telephone surveys interviewed 1603 Hong Kong adult residents in the post-SARS epidemic period, June and September 2003 to investigate changes in the post-SARS period. Results. Noteworthy percentages of the respondents self-reported increased frequencies of practicing favorable health-seeking behaviors in June 2003, as compared with the pre-SARS period. Few respondents reported the opposite. This was observed in different dimensions: health services seeking, adoption of healthier lifestyle, spending more resources on health, adoption of good personal hygiene, mask use when ill with influenza, and avoidance of risk behaviors. The frequencies of practicing most of these health-seeking behaviors, as measured in June and September 2003, were comparable. Further increases in healthy diet and weight control, etc., were observed during that period. Those who worried about contracting SARS were more likely to have improved health-seeking behaviors. Conclusions. The community in Hong Kong responded to the SARS epidemic by practicing more favorable health-seeking behaviors. Public health workers should utilize these opportunities to foster favorable changes.

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Posttraumatic stress disorder in Manhattan, New York City, after the September 11th terrorist attacks.

Sandro Galea, Heidi S Resnick, Jennifer Ahern … (2002)

Estimates of acute mental health symptoms in the general population after disasters are scarce. We assessed the prevalence and correlates of acute posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in residents of Manhattan 5-8 weeks after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. We used random-digit dialing to contact a representative sample of adults living in Manhattan below 110th Street. Participants were interviewed about prior life events, personal characteristics, exposure to the events of September 11th, and psychological symptoms after the attack. Among 988 eligible adults, 19.3% reported symptoms consistent with PTSD at some point in their life, and 8.8% reported symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of current (within the past 30 days) PTSD. Overall, 57.8% of respondents reported at least one PTSD symptom in the past month. The most common past-month symptoms were intrusive memories (27.4%) and insomnia (24.5%). Predictors of current PTSD in a multivariable model were residence below Canal Street, low social support, life stressors 12 months prior to September 11th, perievent panic attack, losing possessions in the attacks, and involvement in the rescue efforts. These findings can help guide resource planning for future disasters in densely populated urban areas.

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Author and article information

Contributors

Joseph T.F. Lau

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): J Infect

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): J. Infect

Title: The Journal of Infection

Publisher: The British Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

ISSN (Print): 0163-4453

ISSN (Electronic): 1532-2742

Publication date PMC-release: 15 December 2005

Publication date (Print): August 2006

Publication date (Electronic): 15 December 2005

Volume: 53

Issue: 2

Pages: 114-124

Affiliations

[a ]Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

[b ]Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China

Author notes

[∗ ]Corresponding author. Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, 5/F, School of Public Health, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China. Tel.: +852 2637 6606; fax: +852 2645 3098. jlau@ 123456cuhk.edu.hk

Article

Publisher ID: S0163-4453(05)00335-X

DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2005.10.019

PMC ID: 7132442

PubMed ID: 16343636

SO-VID: 4a49ff8b-6d99-4725-a7a3-675a073c5eee

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Since January 2020 Elsevier has created a COVID-19 resource centre with free information in English and Mandarin on the novel coronavirus COVID-19. The COVID-19 resource centre is hosted on Elsevier Connect, the company's public news and information website. Elsevier hereby grants permission to make all its COVID-19-related research that is available on the COVID-19 resource centre - including this research content - immediately available in PubMed Central and other publicly funded repositories, such as the WHO COVID database with rights for unrestricted research re-use and analyses in any form or by any means with acknowledgement of the original source. These permissions are granted for free by Elsevier for as long as the COVID-19 resource centre remains active.

Positive mental health-related impacts of the SARS epidemic on the general public in Hong Kong and their associations with other negative impacts

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Summary

Objectives

Study design and participants

Results

Conclusions

Related collections

Coronaviruses, COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2

Most cited references 17

Exposure to terrorism, stress-related mental health symptoms, and coping behaviors among a nationally representative sample in Israel.

Impacts of SARS on health-seeking behaviors in general population in Hong Kong

Posttraumatic stress disorder in Manhattan, New York City, after the September 11th terrorist attacks.

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