The Moral Injury, PTSD, and Suicidal Behaviors in Health Professionals 1 Year After the COVID-19 Pandemic Peak in China

Background: Moral injury among healthcare workers received considerable attention in China during the COVID-19 pandemic as a predictor of poor mental health outcomes. This study explored the relationship between moral injury, PTSD, and suicidal behaviors approximately 1 year after the pandemic peaked in this country. Methods An online survey was conducted from March 27 to April 26, 2021, across mainland China. A total of 3,465 health professionals completed the Chinese version of the Moral Injury Symptoms Scale-Health Professional (MISS-HP), Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R), and PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL‐5). Unconditional logistic regression modeling was used to examine the association between these variables. Results The prevalence of PTSD and suicidal behavior among health professionals were 26.9% and 24.2%, respectively. The MISS-HP was positively correlated with PCL-5 (r = 0.43) and SBQ-R (r = 0.24) scores. Logistic regression revealed that MI was associated with a higher likelihood of PTSD (OR = 3.52, 95% CI: 3.01–4.13) and of suicidal behaviors (OR = 2.13, 95% CI:1.81–2.50) after controlling for socio-demographical variables. Conclusions Moral injury symptoms were associated with a higher risk of PTSD and more suicidal behaviors among health professionals 1 year after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings underscore the importance of identifying and treating the moral injury as one way to manage PTSD and suicidal behaviors among health professionals during the post-pandemic period.