title: Adjustment outcomes in Chinese patients following one-month recovery from severe acute respiratory syndrome in Hong Kong.
abstract: This study aimed to examine the short-term adjustment outcomes including distress, self-esteem, and quality of life among Chinese patients after 1-month recovery from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Hong Kong and to investigate the predictive abilities of a set of selected variables on the outcomes. At 1-month recovery, 100 SARS survivors (mean age = 37; 66 women) and 184 community subjects completed self-administered questionnaires. In the General Health Questionnaire-28, 61% of the SARS survivors were identified as distressed cases under a conservative cutoff score of 6. Compared with the community sample, SARS survivors had significantly more distress and poor quality of life. Being a healthcare worker, severity of SARS symptoms, steroid dosage, and social support accounted for a portion of variances of different measures. Early psychiatric screening and intervention may be beneficial for the adjustment of SARS survivors after short-term recovery. Future research on the long-term impact of SARS is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Consultation and Liaison Psychiatry Team, Kwai Chung Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Sammy K W
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Bun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Kwok Kwong
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Chee Wing
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Yin Kwok
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Ho Lun
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Eric L Y
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Eugene Y K
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Tso
authors.forename: Kuen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Tai Nin
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Chau
authors.forename: Ming Chee
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chiu
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003289:Convalescence / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006304:Health Status; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology