Fear of progression in patients with mild or common type COVID-19.

AIM: To investigate the current condition and degree of fear of disease progression and associated factors in patients with mild or common type COVID-19. BACKGROUND: At the end of 2019, COVID-19 spread from Wuhan in Hubei Province throughout China. Confirmed cases and deaths have since been reported in many countries around the world. However, fear of progression in these patients has been poorly explored. METHODS: During February 2020, we recruited 114 patients with mild or common type COVID-19 admitted to a Fangcang shelter hospital. We assessed patients' degree of fear using the simplified Fear of Progression Questionnaire (Chinese version). Multiple regression analysis was applied to explore potential factors. RESULTS: The fear of disease progression scores of patients with mild or common COVID-19 was at the low-to-moderate level. Current unemployment, disease duration of 28 days or more and not having a spouse diagnosed with COVID-19 were factors potentially associated with fear of progression. CONCLUSION: With a high prevalence of fear of disease progression in patients with COVID-19, the risk of psychological effects from the pandemic is significant and fear of progression is one of the manifestations. The need for psychological support services for patients should be included in all pandemic and disaster planning.

Illness uncertainty among patients with COVID-19 in the Mobile Cabin Hospital.

AIMS: To investigate the status and influencing factors of illness uncertainty among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the mobile cabin hospital. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: 114 patients with COVID-19 admitted to a mobile cabin hospital in Wuhan, Hubei Province, in February 2020 were enrolled by a convenience sampling method. The Chinese version of the Mishel Illness Uncertainty Scale (MUIS) was used to assess patients' degree of illness uncertainty, and multiple regression analysis was used to explore the influencing factors. RESULTS: The average total score of MUIS (Chinese version) was 52.22 ± 12.51, indicating a moderate level of illness uncertainty. The dimension unpredictability turned out to have the highest mean score: 2.88 ± 0.90. The multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that female (t = 2.462, p = .015), monthly family income not less than RMB 10,000 (t = -2.095, p = .039), and disease duration of 28 days or more (t = 2.249, p = .027) were independent influencing factors of illness uncertainty. CONCLUSION: Patients with COVID-19 are at a moderate level of illness uncertainty. Medical staffs should pay more attention to female patients, patients with lower monthly family income, patients with the prolonged disease, and take targeted interventions to help them reduce illness uncertainty. IMPACT: Facing the brand new and unknown infectious disease, patients confirmed of COVID-19 suffer from immense physical and psychological stress, where illness uncertainty is a major stressor that troubles patients. The present study surveys illness uncertainty among patients with COVID-19 in the mobile cabin hospital with results revealing a moderate level. Study results will benefit nurses in any setting where care for patients with COVID-19 is provided, public policymakers and future researchers.