LOS ANGELES, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Nearly half of U.S. public health workers reported symptoms of at least one mental health condition, according to a new survey of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Healthcare workers help a patient in the "COVID Area" of the Beverly Hospital in Montebello City, California, the United States, Jan. 22, 2021. (Photo: Xinhua)

In a 2022 survey of 26,069 public health workers, 48 percent reported symptoms of at least one mental health condition. A total of 28.4 percent reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, followed by anxiety (27.9 percent), and depression (27.7 percent), according to a report of the CDC on Friday.

About 8 percent of the workers reported suicidal thoughts.

These symptoms were most common among those who worked more than 60 hours a week or spent most of their time working on COVID-19 response activities, according to the survey.

"These findings highlight the need for public health organizations to protect the mental health of their employees," said the CDC.