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The present study examined the prevalence, correlates, and clinical symptoms of possible PTSD in surviving HCWs 6 months after the COVID-19 outbreak in China. A total of 291 surviving HCWs and 42 age- and gender-matched COVID-19-free frontline HCWs (control group) were recruited and administered the Chinese Essen Trauma Inventory, which was used to assess the presence of possible PTSD according to DSM-IV-TR criteria. Survivors\u2019 clinical data and characteristics of exposure to COVID-19 were collected via self-report questionnaires. Surviving HCWs had significantly higher rates of possible PTSD than controls (19.9% vs. 4.8%, <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u20090.017). Correlates of PTSD in survivors were ICU admission (OR\u2009=\u20098.73, <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u20090.003), &gt;10 respiratory symptoms during the most symptomatic period of COVID-19 (OR\u2009=\u20093.08, <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u20090.006), the residual symptom of dizziness (OR\u2009=\u20092.43, <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u20090.013), the residual symptom of difficult breathing (OR\u2009=\u20092.23, <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u20090.027), life in danger due to COVID-19 (OR\u2009=\u200916.59, <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u20090.006), and exposure to other traumatic events (OR\u2009=\u20092.94, <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u20090.035). Less commonly seen PTSD symptoms in survivors were having nightmares about the event (34.5%), suddenly feeling like they were living through the event suddenly (25.9%), being unable to remember an important part of the event (32.8%), and overalertness (31.0%). Nearly one-fifth of the surviving HCWs had possible PTSD 6 months after the COVID-19 outbreak. Mental health services for this vulnerable population should include periodic screening for PTSD, expanded social support, and, when necessary, psychotherapy and psychopharmacological treatment.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1038\/s41398-021-01503-7","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,7,5]],"date-time":"2021-07-05T12:03:53Z","timestamp":1625486633000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":27,"title":["Possible posttraumatic stress disorder in Chinese frontline healthcare workers who survived COVID-19 6 months after the COVID-19 outbreak: prevalence, correlates, and symptoms"],"prefix":"10.1038","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5643-4244","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Li-Juan","family":"Xiong","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8625-492X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bao-Liang","family":"Zhong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Xiong-Jing","family":"Cao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Huang-Guo","family":"Xiong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ming","family":"Huang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jing","family":"Ding","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Wen-Tian","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jun","family":"Tong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"He-Yong","family":"Shen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jia-Hong","family":"Xia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Yu","family":"Hu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,7,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"1503_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"113599","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychres.2020.113599","volume":"295","author":"JM C\u00e9nat","year":"2021","unstructured":"C\u00e9nat JM, Blais-Rochette C, Kokou-Kpolou CK, Noorishad PG, Mukunzi JN, McIntee SE, et al. 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