Is quarantine related to immediate negative psychological consequences during the 2009 H1N1 epidemic?

Yongguang Wang; Baihua Xu; Guoqiu Zhao; Rifang Cao; Xiaoyan He; Sufen Fu

doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2010.11.001

Is quarantine related to immediate negative psychological consequences during the 2009 H1N1 epidemic?

Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2011 Jan-Feb;33(1):75-7. doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2010.11.001. Epub 2010 Dec 13.

Authors

Yongguang Wang¹, Baihua Xu, Guoqiu Zhao, Rifang Cao, Xiaoyan He, Sufen Fu

Affiliation

¹ Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310028, PR China.

PMID: 21353131
DOI: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2010.11.001

Abstract

Objective: To investigate whether being quarantined to contain H1N1 flu transmission is related to immediate negative psychological consequences or not.

Methods: Immediate psychological consequences were evaluated with the 20-item Self-Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20) and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) among 419 undergraduate students (176 being quarantined and 243 being nonquarantined).

Results: No significant difference was found between the quarantined group and the nonquarantined group for IES-R screening-positive rate or SRQ-20 screening-positive rate. Multinomial logistic regression analyses indicated that dissatisfaction with control measures was the significant predictor of both SRQ-20 positive screening (OR=2.22) and IES-R positive screening (OR=2.22).

Conclusion: These results are consistent with the conclusion that quarantine does not have negative psychological effects under these circumstances.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

China / epidemiology
Female
Humans
Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / isolation & purification*
Influenza, Human / epidemiology
Influenza, Human / prevention & control*
Influenza, Human / transmission
Male
Quarantine / psychology*
Students / psychology
Surveys and Questionnaires
Young Adult