Assessment of psychological health effects of nurses during 2022–2023 of the COVID-19 pandemic: a descriptive study in Southern Taiwan
Background Nurses on the frontlines of the pandemic have increased workloads, burnout, and virus exposure, leading to mental health challenges and a lack of resources for patient care. Mental health support for nurses during the COVID-19 outbreak has become a priority. This study evaluated psycholog...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Annals of Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/07853890.2024.2447405 |
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| author | Hui-Ru Lin Yung-Kuo Lee Chen-Lin Chang Ching-Hui Kuo Hsin-Yun Ho Chi-Jen Wu Yi-Qian Chen Cheng-Chun Wu Yu-Cheng Ho Tian-Huei Chu Cheng-Hsin Chuang Chou-Yuan Ko |
| author_facet | Hui-Ru Lin Yung-Kuo Lee Chen-Lin Chang Ching-Hui Kuo Hsin-Yun Ho Chi-Jen Wu Yi-Qian Chen Cheng-Chun Wu Yu-Cheng Ho Tian-Huei Chu Cheng-Hsin Chuang Chou-Yuan Ko |
| author_sort | Hui-Ru Lin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Nurses on the frontlines of the pandemic have increased workloads, burnout, and virus exposure, leading to mental health challenges and a lack of resources for patient care. Mental health support for nurses during the COVID-19 outbreak has become a priority. This study evaluated psychological health outcomes of among nurses during the 2022–2023 COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan, focusing on personal and work-related fatigue as key contributors to emotional distress.Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire was distributed to 200 nurses in a southern Taiwan hospital between 2022 and 2023. Emotional distress and mental health were assessed using the BSRS-5 (Brief Symptom Rating Scale) and CHQ-12 (Chinese Health Questionnaire). Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to identify factors influencing emotional distress and mental health outcomes.Results Nurses aged 40–59 (52.85, p = 0.01), those in emergency departments (56.71, p = 0.001), and those caring for COVID-19 patients (50, p = 0.007) reported higher personal exhaustion. Significant differences in work-related fatigue levels were observed based on working environments (52.78, p < 0.001), no beliefs regarding religion (46.53, p = 0.036), care for COVID-19 patients (47, p < 0.001) and previously diagnosed with COVID-19 (46.58, p = 0.005). Key factors influencing emotional distress included marital status, number of children, and workplace (p < 0.05), while mental health variations were noted in age, marital status, number of children, workplace, and years of experience (p < 0.05). During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses’ emotional distress and mental health were significantly correlated with specific stressors such as age, workplace, care for confirmed COVID-19 patients, and previous COVID-19 diagnoses (p < 0.001).Conclusions and implications for nursing management This study highlights the stressors affecting nurses’ mental health during the 2022–2023 COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the need for stress-specific mental health support. Understanding these stress-specific factors is important for figuring out what nurses need to improve their mental health, which can lead to better care for patients. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5f4208b24b854d40abc828622e857493 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0785-3890 1365-2060 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Annals of Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-5f4208b24b854d40abc828622e8574932025-01-20T08:28:54ZengTaylor & Francis GroupAnnals of Medicine0785-38901365-20602025-12-0157110.1080/07853890.2024.2447405Assessment of psychological health effects of nurses during 2022–2023 of the COVID-19 pandemic: a descriptive study in Southern TaiwanHui-Ru Lin0Yung-Kuo Lee1Chen-Lin Chang2Ching-Hui Kuo3Hsin-Yun Ho4Chi-Jen Wu5Yi-Qian Chen6Cheng-Chun Wu7Yu-Cheng Ho8Tian-Huei Chu9Cheng-Hsin Chuang10Chou-Yuan Ko11Nursing Department, Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung, TaiwanInstitute of Medical Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, TaiwanInstitute of Medical Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, TaiwanNursing Department, Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung, TaiwanNursing Department, Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung, TaiwanNursing Department, Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung, TaiwanNursing Department, Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung, TaiwanSchool of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, TaiwanSchool of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, TaiwanInstitute of Medical Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, TaiwanInstitute of Medical Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, TaiwanInstitute of Medical Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, TaiwanBackground Nurses on the frontlines of the pandemic have increased workloads, burnout, and virus exposure, leading to mental health challenges and a lack of resources for patient care. Mental health support for nurses during the COVID-19 outbreak has become a priority. This study evaluated psychological health outcomes of among nurses during the 2022–2023 COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan, focusing on personal and work-related fatigue as key contributors to emotional distress.Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire was distributed to 200 nurses in a southern Taiwan hospital between 2022 and 2023. Emotional distress and mental health were assessed using the BSRS-5 (Brief Symptom Rating Scale) and CHQ-12 (Chinese Health Questionnaire). Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to identify factors influencing emotional distress and mental health outcomes.Results Nurses aged 40–59 (52.85, p = 0.01), those in emergency departments (56.71, p = 0.001), and those caring for COVID-19 patients (50, p = 0.007) reported higher personal exhaustion. Significant differences in work-related fatigue levels were observed based on working environments (52.78, p < 0.001), no beliefs regarding religion (46.53, p = 0.036), care for COVID-19 patients (47, p < 0.001) and previously diagnosed with COVID-19 (46.58, p = 0.005). Key factors influencing emotional distress included marital status, number of children, and workplace (p < 0.05), while mental health variations were noted in age, marital status, number of children, workplace, and years of experience (p < 0.05). During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses’ emotional distress and mental health were significantly correlated with specific stressors such as age, workplace, care for confirmed COVID-19 patients, and previous COVID-19 diagnoses (p < 0.001).Conclusions and implications for nursing management This study highlights the stressors affecting nurses’ mental health during the 2022–2023 COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the need for stress-specific mental health support. Understanding these stress-specific factors is important for figuring out what nurses need to improve their mental health, which can lead to better care for patients.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/07853890.2024.2447405Nursing staffCOVID-19 pandemicemotional distressmental healthfatigue |
| spellingShingle | Hui-Ru Lin Yung-Kuo Lee Chen-Lin Chang Ching-Hui Kuo Hsin-Yun Ho Chi-Jen Wu Yi-Qian Chen Cheng-Chun Wu Yu-Cheng Ho Tian-Huei Chu Cheng-Hsin Chuang Chou-Yuan Ko Assessment of psychological health effects of nurses during 2022–2023 of the COVID-19 pandemic: a descriptive study in Southern Taiwan Annals of Medicine Nursing staff COVID-19 pandemic emotional distress mental health fatigue |
| title | Assessment of psychological health effects of nurses during 2022–2023 of the COVID-19 pandemic: a descriptive study in Southern Taiwan |
| title_full | Assessment of psychological health effects of nurses during 2022–2023 of the COVID-19 pandemic: a descriptive study in Southern Taiwan |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of psychological health effects of nurses during 2022–2023 of the COVID-19 pandemic: a descriptive study in Southern Taiwan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of psychological health effects of nurses during 2022–2023 of the COVID-19 pandemic: a descriptive study in Southern Taiwan |
| title_short | Assessment of psychological health effects of nurses during 2022–2023 of the COVID-19 pandemic: a descriptive study in Southern Taiwan |
| title_sort | assessment of psychological health effects of nurses during 2022 2023 of the covid 19 pandemic a descriptive study in southern taiwan |
| topic | Nursing staff COVID-19 pandemic emotional distress mental health fatigue |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/07853890.2024.2447405 |
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