What Is the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Patients with Pre-Existing Mood or Anxiety Disorder? An Observational Prospective Study
<i>Background and Objectives:</i> This observational prospective study aims to examine the psychological and psychopathological impact of the pandemic stress on patients with pre-existing mood, anxiety and obsessive–compulsive disorders. <i>Materials and Methods:</i> The stud...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Medicina |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/57/4/304 |
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| author | Antonio Tundo Sophia Betro’ Roberta Necci |
| author_facet | Antonio Tundo Sophia Betro’ Roberta Necci |
| author_sort | Antonio Tundo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Background and Objectives:</i> This observational prospective study aims to examine the psychological and psychopathological impact of the pandemic stress on patients with pre-existing mood, anxiety and obsessive–compulsive disorders. <i>Materials and Methods:</i> The study includes 386 consecutive patients recruited from 10 March to 30 June 2020 among those being treated at the Institute of Psychopathology in Rome (Italy) with an age ≥18 years and meeting DSM-5 criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) (35.2%), bipolar I (BD-I) (21.5%) or II (BD-II) (28.8%) disorder, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) (7.5%), panic disorder (PD) (7.0%) or social anxiety (SA). A total of 34.2% had lifetime comorbid Axis I disorders and 15.3% had alcohol/drug abuse disorders. Using a semi-structured interview, we investigated if the impact of COVID-19 stress for patients has been similar, higher or lower than that of their family and friends and, for patients with relapse/symptoms worsening, if there was a relationship between the clinical condition worsening and the pandemic stress. <i>Results:</i> Compared with that experienced by their family members and friends, the psychological impact of pandemic stress was similar in 52.1% of the sample, better in 37.1% and worse in 10.8%. In 21 patients (5.4%), the stress triggered a recurrence or worsened the symptoms. Patients with OCD had a higher rate of worsening due to pandemic stress compared to patients with MDD (<i>p</i> = 0.033), although, overall, the χ<sup>2</sup> test was not significant among primary diagnoses (χ<sup>2</sup> = 8.368; <i>p</i> = 0.057). <i>Conclusions:</i> The psychological and psychopathological consequences of COVID-19 stress in our outpatients were very modest. The continuity of care offered during the lockdown could explain the results. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:57:08Z |
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| id | doaj.art-7e8e55ae8ad147e48b67f25fccf5d07e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1010-660X 1648-9144 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:57:08Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medicina |
| spelling | doaj.art-7e8e55ae8ad147e48b67f25fccf5d07e2023-11-21T11:47:26ZengMDPI AGMedicina1010-660X1648-91442021-03-0157430410.3390/medicina57040304What Is the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Patients with Pre-Existing Mood or Anxiety Disorder? An Observational Prospective StudyAntonio Tundo0Sophia Betro’1Roberta Necci2Istituto di Psicopatologia, 00196 Rome, ItalyIstituto di Psicopatologia, 00196 Rome, ItalyIstituto di Psicopatologia, 00196 Rome, Italy<i>Background and Objectives:</i> This observational prospective study aims to examine the psychological and psychopathological impact of the pandemic stress on patients with pre-existing mood, anxiety and obsessive–compulsive disorders. <i>Materials and Methods:</i> The study includes 386 consecutive patients recruited from 10 March to 30 June 2020 among those being treated at the Institute of Psychopathology in Rome (Italy) with an age ≥18 years and meeting DSM-5 criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) (35.2%), bipolar I (BD-I) (21.5%) or II (BD-II) (28.8%) disorder, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) (7.5%), panic disorder (PD) (7.0%) or social anxiety (SA). A total of 34.2% had lifetime comorbid Axis I disorders and 15.3% had alcohol/drug abuse disorders. Using a semi-structured interview, we investigated if the impact of COVID-19 stress for patients has been similar, higher or lower than that of their family and friends and, for patients with relapse/symptoms worsening, if there was a relationship between the clinical condition worsening and the pandemic stress. <i>Results:</i> Compared with that experienced by their family members and friends, the psychological impact of pandemic stress was similar in 52.1% of the sample, better in 37.1% and worse in 10.8%. In 21 patients (5.4%), the stress triggered a recurrence or worsened the symptoms. Patients with OCD had a higher rate of worsening due to pandemic stress compared to patients with MDD (<i>p</i> = 0.033), although, overall, the χ<sup>2</sup> test was not significant among primary diagnoses (χ<sup>2</sup> = 8.368; <i>p</i> = 0.057). <i>Conclusions:</i> The psychological and psychopathological consequences of COVID-19 stress in our outpatients were very modest. The continuity of care offered during the lockdown could explain the results.https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/57/4/304coronaviruspanic disordersocial anxiety disordermajor depressive disorderbipolar disorderobsessive–compulsive disorder |
| spellingShingle | Antonio Tundo Sophia Betro’ Roberta Necci What Is the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Patients with Pre-Existing Mood or Anxiety Disorder? An Observational Prospective Study Medicina coronavirus panic disorder social anxiety disorder major depressive disorder bipolar disorder obsessive–compulsive disorder |
| title | What Is the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Patients with Pre-Existing Mood or Anxiety Disorder? An Observational Prospective Study |
| title_full | What Is the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Patients with Pre-Existing Mood or Anxiety Disorder? An Observational Prospective Study |
| title_fullStr | What Is the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Patients with Pre-Existing Mood or Anxiety Disorder? An Observational Prospective Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | What Is the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Patients with Pre-Existing Mood or Anxiety Disorder? An Observational Prospective Study |
| title_short | What Is the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Patients with Pre-Existing Mood or Anxiety Disorder? An Observational Prospective Study |
| title_sort | what is the impact of covid 19 pandemic on patients with pre existing mood or anxiety disorder an observational prospective study |
| topic | coronavirus panic disorder social anxiety disorder major depressive disorder bipolar disorder obsessive–compulsive disorder |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/57/4/304 |
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