Objective: This study explored the relationship between personality characteristics and mental health in front-line medical staff in hospitals to establish an objective basis and reference for developing targeted mental health education and formulating relevant policies. Methods: We used Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) to investigate the mental health status of 150 front-line medical staff in Zhejiang Province coping with the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Pneumonia 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Results: The staff’s average SCL-90 scores during the COVID-19 pandemic (overall, somatization, compulsion, depression, anxiety, hostility, terror, and psychosis) were significantly higher than for the general population. The primary influences (from high to low) were as follows: Experiencing any symptoms that might suggest COVID-19, fears of getting COVID-19 and spreading the infection to their families, whether they had received a physical examination recently, and whether they had completed higher education (all P<0.05). The higher-than-average levels of psychological distress among front-line medical staff dealing with COVID-19 are unsurprising, given the enormous physical and psychological pressures of pandemic conditions. However, supporting their mental health is critical to the public health response. Conclusion: Therefore, it is necessary to establish a targeted mental health promotion mechanism to alleviate the psychological pressure on the front-line medical staff, promote their physical and mental health, and better respond to the epidemic in China.
