Differences in the Association of Anxiety, Insomnia and Somatic Symptoms between Medical Staff and the General Population During the Outbreak of COVID-19

Abstract

Background During the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), occupational differences were recognized with respect to psychological issues, but there are no reports regarding the insomnia and anxiety comorbidities and their related factors among the general public and medical staff. Our study aimed to compare the prevalence of anxiety and anxiety with insomnia, as well as the relationship between different psychological symptoms between the two groups. Methods A total of 605 medical staff and 1091 public respondents were assessed through an online questionnaire survey, including the 7-item Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the somatization subscale of Symptom Checklist 90-Revised (SCL-90-R), and the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7). Results Compared with the general public, medical staff had a higher incidence of anxiety (45.5% vs 32.4%). The incidence of insomnia in anxious participants was 52.7% in medical staff and 44.6% in the general public, and the difference was significant (p < 0.05). The GAD-7 score and somatization subscore of the SCI-90 were independently associated with insomnia among anxiety participants in both groups (all p < 0.001). Conclusion Our findings suggest that during the epidemic period of COVID-19, medical staff experienced more anxiety and anxiety with insomnia. Somatization, anxiety and insomnia are highly correlated among medical staff and the general public.

Subjective sleep alterations in healthy subjects worldwide during COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression

“…The type of population was categorized as follow: adolescents (6 studies) [ 71 , 81 , 87 , 92 , 108 , 138 ], children (1 study) [38], general population (66 studies) [ 40 , 42 , 43 , 46 , 48 , 49 ], [ [51] , [52] , [53] , [54] , [55] , [56] , [57] , 59 , 60 , [64] , [65] , [66] ], [ [68] , [69] , [70] , 72 , 73 , 76 , [78] , [79] , [80] ], [ [82] , [83] , [84] , [85] , 88 , 89 , 101 , 103 ], [ 104 , 109 , 110 , 113 , 117 , 120 , 121 ], [ 123 , 128 , 129 , 131 , 134 , 135 , 137 ], [ 139 , [141] , [142] , [143] , [144] , [145] , 147 , [150] , [151] , [152] ], [ 154 <...…”

“…The total scores ranged from 3 to 6. Most of the studies (114) [ [37] , [38] , [39] , [40] , [41] , [42] , [43] , [44] , [45] , [46] ], [ [48] , [49] , [50] , [51] , [52] , [53] , [54] , [55] , [56] , [57] , [58] , [59] , [60] ], [ [63] , [64] , [65] , [66] , [67] , [68] ], [ [70] , [71] , [72] , [73] , [75] , [76] , [77] ], [ [79] , [80] , [81] , [82] , [83] , [84] , [85] , [86] , [87] , [88] , [89] , 91 , [93] , [94] , [95] , [96] , [97] , [98] , [99] ], [ [101] , [102] , [103] , [104] , [105] , [106] , [107] , [108] , [109] , [110] , [113] , …”

Depression and Insomnia of Front-Line Medical Staff During the COVID-19 Outbreak in China: An On-Line Cross-Sectional Study

“…Therefore, when cortisol is always at a high level of concentration, the individual is always in a state of long-term stress preparation, resulting in long-term energy loss, which will adversely affect the individual's physical and mental health over time. A previous investigation found that medical staff who worked more than 8 h a day were more likely to suffer from symptoms of insomnia (Huang et al, 2021 ). Therefore, long-term sleep deprivation can lead to anxiety among medical staff.…”

Demographic characteristics and anxiety in the educational setting during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Indonesia: A cross‐sectional study

“…Somatic symptoms such as muscle and bone pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, headache, etc., gastrointestinal disorders, ringing in hearing (tinnitus), and urogenital disorders. 11 , 18 …”

“…Somatic symptoms such as muscle and bone pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, headache, etc., gastrointestinal disorders, ringing in hearing (tinnitus), and urogenital disorders. 11,18 This study needs to be done to assess the incidence of anxiety that occurs in the primary educational environment therefore factors can be identified that can be a risk for anxiety events during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research data regarding the incidence of anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic that discusses events in the educational environment are still absent, particularly in Indonesia.…”