Post-COVID-19 Epidemic: Allostatic Load among Medical and Nonmedical Workers in China

• Published in: Psychotherapy and psychosomatics Vol. 90; no. 2; pp. 127 - 136
• Main Authors: Peng, Mao, Wang, Li, Xue, Qing, Yin, Lu, Zhu, Bo-heng, Wang, Kun, Shangguan, Fang-fang, Zhang, Pei-ran, Niu, Yan-yan, Zhang, Wen-rui, Zhao, Wen-feng, Wang, Huang, Lv, Jing, Song, Hai-qing, Min, Bao-quan, Leng, Hai-xia, Jia, Yu, Chang, Hong, Yu, Zhi-peng, Tian, Qing, Yang, Yuan, Zhu, Zhou, Li, Wei, Gao, Xiao-ling, Liu, Xiao-lei, Yang, Mei, Wang, Ping, Wei, Peng-hu, Wang, Chun-xue, Li, Jin-na, Jia, Long-bin, Huang, Xiao-min, Li, Dong-ning, Xu, Dong-juan, Deng, Yun-long, Si, Tian-mei, Dong, Hui-qing, Wang, Yu-ping, Cosci, Fiammetta, Wang, Hong-xing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland 01.02.2021
• Subjects: Adult; Allostasis - physiology; Anxiety - physiopathology; China; COVID-19; Depression - physiopathology; Female; Health Personnel; Humans; Illness Behavior - physiology; Male; Middle Aged; Occupations; Personal Satisfaction; Social Support; Standard Research Article; Stress, Psychological - physiopathology; China; COVID-19; Well-being; Allostatic load; Depression; Anxiety; Medical worker; Stress
• ISSN: 0033-3190; 1423-0348
• DOI: 10.1159/000511823

Background: As the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic continues, medical workers may have allostatic load. Objective: During the reopening of society, medical and nonmedical workers were compared in terms of allostatic load. Methods: An online study was performed; 3,590 Chinese subjects were analyzed. Socio-demographic variables, allostatic load, stress, abnormal illness behavior, global well-being, mental status, and social support were assessed. Results: There was no difference in allostatic load in medical workers compared to nonmedical workers (15.8 vs. 17.8%; p = 0.22). Multivariate conditional logistic regression revealed that anxiety (OR = 1.24; 95% CI 1.18–1.31; p < 0.01), depression (OR = 1.23; 95% CI 1.17–1.29; p < 0.01), somatization (OR = 1.20; 95% CI 1.14–1.25; p < 0.01), hostility (OR = 1.24; 95% CI 1.18–1.30; p < 0.01), and abnormal illness behavior (OR = 1.49; 95% CI 1.34–1.66; p < 0.01) were positively associated with allostatic load, while objective support (OR = 0.84; 95% CI 0.78–0.89; p < 0.01), subjective support (OR = 0.84; 95% CI 0.80–0.88; p < 0.01), utilization of support (OR = 0.80; 95% CI 0.72–0.88; p < 0.01), social support (OR = 0.90; 95% CI 0.87–0.93; p < 0.01), and global well-being (OR = 0.30; 95% CI 0.22–0.41; p < 0.01) were negatively associated. Conclusions: In the post-COVID-19 epidemic time, medical and nonmedical workers had similar allostatic load. Psychological distress and abnormal illness behavior were risk factors for it, while social support could relieve it.