Psychiatric intervention on patients recovering from hospitalization due to Covid-19
Introduction According to recent reports Covid-19 patients may exhibit psychiatric co-morbidities that cause dysfunction, loss of autonomy and emotional suffering even after the physical illness is treated. Considering the high impact Covid-19 may have on mental health, we have created a psychiatri...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2022-06-01
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| Series: | European Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822013086/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797617053053485056 |
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| author | D. Machado A. Borges C. Laureano |
| author_facet | D. Machado A. Borges C. Laureano |
| author_sort | D. Machado |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction
According to recent reports Covid-19 patients may exhibit psychiatric co-morbidities that cause dysfunction, loss of autonomy and emotional suffering even after the physical illness is treated. Considering the high impact Covid-19 may have on mental health, we have created a psychiatric consultation dedicated to the study, observation and support of patients that developed mental illness after being hospitalized due to Covid-19.
Objectives
We aim at 1) describe the profile of patients that developed psychiatric comorbidities following a hospitalization due to Covid-19 and 2) recognize and treat early psychiatric symptoms in Covid-19 patients.
Methods
Based on what was described in other epidemic crisis, we established a semi-structured interview to evaluate several dimensions of the patients’ life that may have been affected by Covid-19 and that may impact on mental health. The interview included the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), the Impact of Event Scale – Revised (IES-R) and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Each patient was observed multiple times over several months. Our evaluation was done in parallel with consultations in Internal Medicine.
Results
Most patients complained of symptoms directly related with the infection of SARS-CoV-2, namely fatigue, short breath and reduced tolerance to efforts. Importantly, many patients also reported de novo or aggravation of anxiety, stress, depression, sleep disturbances and grief often associated with feelings of existential emptiness and lack of purpose.
Conclusions
Hospitalization due to Covid-19 has a high impact on mental health, raising important questions on purpose and emptiness. An early psychiatric intervention is highly recommended.
Disclosure
No significant relationships.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:50:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2735c44f331d4b2b8dbde390b123d4b5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:50:20Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-2735c44f331d4b2b8dbde390b123d4b52023-11-17T05:06:53ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852022-06-0165S514S51410.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.1308Psychiatric intervention on patients recovering from hospitalization due to Covid-19D. Machado0A. Borges1C. Laureano2Leiria Health Center, Psychiatry And Mental Health, Leiria, PortugalLeiria Health Center, Psychiatry And Mental Health, Leiria, PortugalLeiria Health Center, Psychiatry And Mental Health, Leiria, Portugal Introduction According to recent reports Covid-19 patients may exhibit psychiatric co-morbidities that cause dysfunction, loss of autonomy and emotional suffering even after the physical illness is treated. Considering the high impact Covid-19 may have on mental health, we have created a psychiatric consultation dedicated to the study, observation and support of patients that developed mental illness after being hospitalized due to Covid-19. Objectives We aim at 1) describe the profile of patients that developed psychiatric comorbidities following a hospitalization due to Covid-19 and 2) recognize and treat early psychiatric symptoms in Covid-19 patients. Methods Based on what was described in other epidemic crisis, we established a semi-structured interview to evaluate several dimensions of the patients’ life that may have been affected by Covid-19 and that may impact on mental health. The interview included the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), the Impact of Event Scale – Revised (IES-R) and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Each patient was observed multiple times over several months. Our evaluation was done in parallel with consultations in Internal Medicine. Results Most patients complained of symptoms directly related with the infection of SARS-CoV-2, namely fatigue, short breath and reduced tolerance to efforts. Importantly, many patients also reported de novo or aggravation of anxiety, stress, depression, sleep disturbances and grief often associated with feelings of existential emptiness and lack of purpose. Conclusions Hospitalization due to Covid-19 has a high impact on mental health, raising important questions on purpose and emptiness. An early psychiatric intervention is highly recommended. Disclosure No significant relationships. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822013086/type/journal_articleCovid-19post-Covid psychiatric comorbiditiesdepressionanxietystressmental health |
| spellingShingle | D. Machado A. Borges C. Laureano Psychiatric intervention on patients recovering from hospitalization due to Covid-19 European Psychiatry Covid-19 post-Covid psychiatric comorbidities depression anxiety stress mental health |
| title | Psychiatric intervention on patients recovering from hospitalization due to Covid-19 |
| title_full | Psychiatric intervention on patients recovering from hospitalization due to Covid-19 |
| title_fullStr | Psychiatric intervention on patients recovering from hospitalization due to Covid-19 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Psychiatric intervention on patients recovering from hospitalization due to Covid-19 |
| title_short | Psychiatric intervention on patients recovering from hospitalization due to Covid-19 |
| title_sort | psychiatric intervention on patients recovering from hospitalization due to covid 19 |
| topic | Covid-19 post-Covid psychiatric comorbidities depression anxiety stress mental health |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822013086/type/journal_article |
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