Background The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused extensive public health concerns, posing significant challenges to healthcare services. One particular area of concern is the mental health of patients with mental disorder, who are often a neglected group. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of, and associated factors for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among patients with mental disorder in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Self-reported questionnaires were distributed to patients in four psychiatric hospitals in Beijing, China, between April 28th and May 30th, 2020. Information regarding sociodemographic characteristics, COVID-19 related factors, support, psychosomatic factors, and PTSD symptoms were collected using a series of scales, such as the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale, and so on. Multivariate regression was used to identify factors related to PTSD symptoms. Results A total of 1,055 patients with mental disorder were included in the final sample. The prevalence of PTSD symptoms was 41.3%. Hierarchical linear regression demonstrated that fear of the pandemic and anxiety were shared associated factors for both symptoms of PTSD and their subscales. Additionally, age was an associated factor for the total PTSD (β = 0.12, p < 0.01), intrusion (β = 0.18, p < 0.001), and avoidance (β = 0.1, p < 0.05) symptoms; depression was an associated factor for the total PTSD (β = 0.13, p < 0.001), intrusion (β = 0.11, p < 0.01), and hyperarousal (β = 0.19, p < 0.001) symptoms. Conclusions The prevalence of PTSD symptoms was high among patients with mental disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. This study found that age, fear of the pandemic, anxiety and depression are significant associated factors of PTSD symptoms in patients with mental disorder during the pandemic. We call for higher awareness and introduction of PTSD interventions to relieve the psychological stress in these patients.

Background: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused extensive public health concern and posed great challenges to the medical services, including the mental health concern for psychiatric patients who were one of neglected groups. The current study aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among psychiatric patients in China during the pandemic. Method: Self-reported questionnaires were distributed to psychiatric patients in several psychiatric hospitals in Beijing China from 28 April to 30 May 2020. The socio-demographic information and psychiatric symptoms such as PTSD, anxiety and depressive symptoms were collected by using The Impact of Event Scale- Revised (IES-R), the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) and the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale (PHQ-9). Multivariate regression was used to analysis the related factors for PTSD symptoms. Results: 1,055 psychiatric patients were included in the final sample. The prevalence of PTSD symptoms was 41.3%. Risk factors for PTSD symptoms and its subscales included old age, high risk perception, symptoms of anxiety, symptoms of depression. Conclusions: The prevalence of PTSD symptoms is high among psychiatric patients during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. We call for more concern and PTSD interventions to relieve the psychological stress of psychiatric patients during the pandemic.

Background: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused extensive public health concerns, posing significant challenges to healthcare services. One particular area of concern is the mental health of psychiatric patients, who are often a neglected group. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of, and associated factors for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among psychiatric patients in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Self-reported questionnaires were distributed to patients in four psychiatric hospitals in Beijing, China, between April 28th and May 30th, 2020. Information regarding sociodemographic characteristics, COVID-19 related factors, support, psychosomatic factors, and PTSD symptoms was collected data using a series of scales, such as the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale, and so on. Multivariate regression was used to identify factors related to PTSD symptoms. Results: A total of 1,055 psychiatric patients were included in the final sample. The prevalence of PTSD symptoms was 41.3%. Hierarchical linear regression demonstrated that fear of the pandemic and anxiety were shared associated factors for both symptoms of PTSD and its subscales. Additionally, age was an associated factor for the total PTSD (β = 0.12, p < 0.01), intrusion (β = 0.18, p < 0.001), and avoidance (β = 0.1, p < 0.05) symptoms; depression was an associated factor for the total PTSD s (β = 0.13, p < 0.001), intrusion (β = 0.11, p < 0.01), and hyperarousal (β = 0.19, p < 0.001) symptoms. Conclusions: The prevalence of PTSD symptoms was high among psychiatric patients during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. This study found that age, fear of the pandemic, anxiety and depression are significant associated factors of PTSD symptoms in psychiatric patients during the pandemic. We call for higher awareness and introduction of PTSD interventions to relieve the psychological stress in these patients.