BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to understand the changes in psychological factors and sleep status of front-line medical staff in the fight against COVID-19 and provide evidence of exercise interventions to relieve psychological stress and improve sleep status for medical staff.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A survey study was conducted among 120 front-line medical staff in the fight against COVID-19, of which 60 medical staff worked at the designated hospital (experimental group) and 60 medical staff worked at the non-designated hospital (control group). The Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90), Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), and PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C) were used to assess mental status. Sleep status was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

RESULTS: SCL-90 scores of somatization, depression, anxiety, and terror were higher than normal in front-line medical staff at the designated hospital. The SAS (45.89±1.117), SDS (50.13±1.813), and PCL-C (50.13±1.813) scores in the experimental group were higher than the normal control group, and were significantly different from those in the control group on SDS and PCL-C scales (P<0.05). The total average PSQI of the experimental group was 16.07±3.761, indicating that the sleep quality was poor. Among them, participants with moderate insomnia reached 61.67%, and participants with severe insomnia reached 26.67%.

CONCLUSIONS: There are psychological symptoms and sleep symptoms in front-line medical staff who participate in the fight against COVID-19, and they affect each other. Hospitals should improve emergency management measures, strengthen psychological counseling for clinical front-line medical staff, strengthen exercise intervention, and improve their sleep quality and mental health.

Keywords: Adaptation, Psychological, Coronavirus Infections, Dyssomnias, Medical Staff, Hospital, Anxiety, COVID-19, Counseling, Depression, Exercise Therapy, Health Personnel, Mental Health, Pandemics, Pneumonia, Viral, Sleep, Sleep Latency, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Stress, Psychological