Title : Research on the mental health of medical interns in clinical teaching base in the post-pandemic era - data from China
Abstract:
Background: During the COVID-19 epidemic, depression of medical staff showed a worsening trend year by year [1]. Interns in clinical teaching bases who are also in the front line of the fight against the epidemic are more likely to have mental health problems due to the unfamiliar environment and lack of experience in epidemic prevention and control. It is necessary to investigate their mental health status and explore the corresponding countermeasures.
Methods: Symptom checklist 90 (SCL-90) and simple coping style questionnaire (SCSQ) were used to investigate the somatization symptoms and coping styles of 312 medical interns in December 2022, and their symptom self-test scores were compared with the Chinese youth group norm results.
Results: The average scores of somatization, compulsion, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, phobia, paranoia and psychosis of the interns in the base were higher than those of the Chinese youth group norm, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). There were significant differences in somatization and phobic factor scores between male and female interns (P < 0.05). There were significant differences in the scores of nine factors among interns with different educational levels (P < 0.05), and the scores of each factor of interns with bachelor's degree or above were higher than those of interns with college degree. The score of negative coping style was positively correlated with the total score of negative factors of mental health (somatization, compulsion, depression, anxiety) (β=-0.569, P < 0.05). Positive coping style was negatively correlated (β=0.899, P < 0.01).
Conclusion: The mental health level of interns in the base in the post-pandemic era is lower than that of the national youth norm, and there are statistically significant differences in the mental health level of interns with different genders and educational levels. Negative coping style can significantly affect their mental health status. Bases, schools, families and the society should pay attention to the mental health problems of medical interns, carry out effective psychological intervention in time, and adopt positive coping methods to ensure the physical and mental health of interns during the epidemic.
