Predictive factors of psychological disorder development during recovery following SARS outbreak.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate strategies for broad mass isolation during outbreaks of infectious diseases.


METHODS
A survey using a self-administered questionnaire was conducted on 300 printing company workers in Beijing, China, which was under mass isolation following the 2003 SARS outbreak, in the 7-8 months after the isolation was lifted.


METHODS
Individuals with psychological disorders were classified on the basis of scores on the 30-item General Health Questionnaire during the recovery period. Psychological disorders were observed in 49 of 187 respondents (26.2%; 95% CI = 20.2, 32.7).


RESULTS
The predicting factor with the highest correlation was income reduction, with an odds ratio of 25.0. Other items obtained were gender, range of activities, eating restrictions, restrictions in going out, disinfection of clothing, and infection control, with odds ratios of 3.2, 5.5, 3.9, 3.2, 0.2, and 0.1, respectively, and the contribution ratio was 87.7%.


CONCLUSIONS
Securing income is suggested to be important in future strategies.
Mihashi
Mutsuko
M
Department of Environmental Medicine, Kurume University School of Nursing, Kurume, Japan. mihashi@toq.ne.jp
Otsubo
Yasunao
Y
Yinjuan
Xin
X
Nagatomi
Kaori
K
Hoshiko
Michiko
M
Ishitake
Tatsuya
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D010356:Patient Isolation / Q000523:psychology*; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult