A study on the mental health of Tibetan assistant cadres exposed to high altitude / 中国实用护理杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective@#To study the effects of altitude exposure and altitude exposure on mental health of Tibetan cadres.@*Methods@#105 cadres in Tibet were selected as the research objects. Among them, 74 cadres in Shannan and Lhasa of Tibet (average altitude 3 680 m), 31 in Shigaze and Ali (above 3 800 m) and 14 in Ali (above 4 300 m) were selected. Using Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Ascension Insomnia Scale (AIS), 105 Tibetan aid cadres were tested by SAS, SDS, AIS and SCL-90 one week after entering Tibet and one week before leaving the plateau. The scores were collected and the mental health and sleep status of Tibetan aid workers were measured.@*Results@#The number of positive items of SCL-90 of 105 Tibetan cadres increased from (13.21±9.05) one week after entering Tibet to (38.35±18.84) one week before leaving Tibet. SAS, SDS and AIS also increased from (25.49±5.19), (26.41±5.15), (5.16±3.54) points one week after entering Tibet to (36.78±7.53), (41.42±9.15), (8.71±4.64) points one week before leaving Tibet. The difference was significant in the last week (Z = 8.420, 8.689, 6.277, P<0.01). The correlation analysis between SCL-90 and SAS, SDS and AIS showed that SCL-90 was positively correlated with SAS, SDS and AIS scores (r = 0.651, 0.616, 0.356, P<0.01). Different altitudes have an effect on the mental health of Tibetan aid cadres. The paranoid item scores of Tibetan aid cadres with altitude>4 300 m in SCL-90 were (1.68 ± 0.50) points, which were higher than those of Tibetan aid cadres with altitude<4 300 m (1.24±0.28) points and (1.40± 0.38) points. The difference was statistically significant (F=5.255, P=0.007); The SDS scores of Tibetan aid cadres with altitude>4 300 m were (46.64 ± 7.24) points, which were higher than those of Tibetan aid cadres with altitude<4 300 m (40.76 ± 8.99) points and (40.58 ± 8.28) points. The difference was statistically significant (F=3.223, P=0.044).@*Conclusion@#Exposure to high altitude affects the mental health of cadres assisting Tibet to varying degrees. The mental health of cadres assisting Tibet deserves attention.