Managing the COVID-19 pandemic in people with mental disorders: An exploratory telephone interview study in a psychiatric outpatient department
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown measures reduced well-being in the general population significantly and led to an increase in anxiety and depression symptoms, however, results on the impact on people with mental disorders are heterogeneous to date. The aim of this study was...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Comprehensive Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010440X22000190 |
| _version_ | 1811337725005004800 |
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| author | Lisa Kertzscher Elisabeth Kohls Sabrina Baldofski Raiko Moeller Georg Schomerus Christine Rummel-Kluge |
| author_facet | Lisa Kertzscher Elisabeth Kohls Sabrina Baldofski Raiko Moeller Georg Schomerus Christine Rummel-Kluge |
| author_sort | Lisa Kertzscher |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown measures reduced well-being in the general population significantly and led to an increase in anxiety and depression symptoms, however, results on the impact on people with mental disorders are heterogeneous to date. The aim of this study was to investigate the mental health status, social support, perceived stress, and the medical care provision of people with mental disorders during the time period immediately after the first COVID-19 lockdown in spring 2020 in Germany. Methods: Participants were people with mental disorders currently receiving treatment in the psychiatric outpatient department of the University Hospital Leipzig, Germany. Structured telephone interviews were administered to assess depressive symptoms, self-rated medical care provision, attitudes and social and emotional aspects of the pandemic (social support, perceived stress, loneliness, resilience, and agreeableness). Results: A total of N = 106 people completed the telephone interview. The most frequent clinician-rated diagnoses were attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD; n = 29, 27.4%) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD; n = 24, 22.6%). The mean Patient Health Questionnaire-9 sum score was 10.91 (SD = 5.71) and the majority of participants (n = 56, 52.8%) reported clinically relevant depressive symptoms. A low self-rated medical care provision was significantly associated with higher depressive symptom load. In a regression analysis, higher perceived stress levels and low medical care provision significantly predicted depressive symptoms. Furthermore, 38.1% (n = 40) reported to feel relieved as a result of the restrictions and, due to previous experience in dealing with crisis, half of the participants (n = 53, 50.5%) stated they were better able to deal with the current situation than the general population. Conclusions: This study emphasizes the importance of maintenance of medical care provision for people with mental disorders, as cancelled or postponed treatment appointments and perceived stress were associated with higher depressive symptoms. Regular treatment services showed to have a protective effect. In addition, a majority of people with mental disorders felt prepared for managing the COVID pandemic due to existing crisis management abilities. These resources should also be taken into account for further future treatment considerations.Trial Registration: German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00022071). |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T17:59:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bbc59e9338384a96be5fa7831df5a024 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0010-440X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T17:59:03Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Comprehensive Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-bbc59e9338384a96be5fa7831df5a0242022-12-22T02:36:19ZengElsevierComprehensive Psychiatry0010-440X2022-07-01116152313Managing the COVID-19 pandemic in people with mental disorders: An exploratory telephone interview study in a psychiatric outpatient departmentLisa Kertzscher0Elisabeth Kohls1Sabrina Baldofski2Raiko Moeller3Georg Schomerus4Christine Rummel-Kluge5Leipzig University, Medical Faculty, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweisstrasse 10, Haus 13, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Corresponding author.Leipzig University, Medical Faculty, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweisstrasse 10, Haus 13, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; University Leipzig Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweisstrasse 10, Haus 13, 04103 Leipzig, GermanyLeipzig University, Medical Faculty, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweisstrasse 10, Haus 13, 04103 Leipzig, GermanyLeipzig University, Medical Faculty, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweisstrasse 10, Haus 13, 04103 Leipzig, GermanyLeipzig University, Medical Faculty, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweisstrasse 10, Haus 13, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; University Leipzig Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweisstrasse 10, Haus 13, 04103 Leipzig, GermanyLeipzig University, Medical Faculty, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweisstrasse 10, Haus 13, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; University Leipzig Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweisstrasse 10, Haus 13, 04103 Leipzig, GermanyBackground: The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown measures reduced well-being in the general population significantly and led to an increase in anxiety and depression symptoms, however, results on the impact on people with mental disorders are heterogeneous to date. The aim of this study was to investigate the mental health status, social support, perceived stress, and the medical care provision of people with mental disorders during the time period immediately after the first COVID-19 lockdown in spring 2020 in Germany. Methods: Participants were people with mental disorders currently receiving treatment in the psychiatric outpatient department of the University Hospital Leipzig, Germany. Structured telephone interviews were administered to assess depressive symptoms, self-rated medical care provision, attitudes and social and emotional aspects of the pandemic (social support, perceived stress, loneliness, resilience, and agreeableness). Results: A total of N = 106 people completed the telephone interview. The most frequent clinician-rated diagnoses were attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD; n = 29, 27.4%) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD; n = 24, 22.6%). The mean Patient Health Questionnaire-9 sum score was 10.91 (SD = 5.71) and the majority of participants (n = 56, 52.8%) reported clinically relevant depressive symptoms. A low self-rated medical care provision was significantly associated with higher depressive symptom load. In a regression analysis, higher perceived stress levels and low medical care provision significantly predicted depressive symptoms. Furthermore, 38.1% (n = 40) reported to feel relieved as a result of the restrictions and, due to previous experience in dealing with crisis, half of the participants (n = 53, 50.5%) stated they were better able to deal with the current situation than the general population. Conclusions: This study emphasizes the importance of maintenance of medical care provision for people with mental disorders, as cancelled or postponed treatment appointments and perceived stress were associated with higher depressive symptoms. Regular treatment services showed to have a protective effect. In addition, a majority of people with mental disorders felt prepared for managing the COVID pandemic due to existing crisis management abilities. These resources should also be taken into account for further future treatment considerations.Trial Registration: German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00022071).http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010440X22000190Mental disorderPandemic (COVID-19)COVID-19 lockdownPsychiatryDepressive symptomsMedical care provision |
| spellingShingle | Lisa Kertzscher Elisabeth Kohls Sabrina Baldofski Raiko Moeller Georg Schomerus Christine Rummel-Kluge Managing the COVID-19 pandemic in people with mental disorders: An exploratory telephone interview study in a psychiatric outpatient department Comprehensive Psychiatry Mental disorder Pandemic (COVID-19) COVID-19 lockdown Psychiatry Depressive symptoms Medical care provision |
| title | Managing the COVID-19 pandemic in people with mental disorders: An exploratory telephone interview study in a psychiatric outpatient department |
| title_full | Managing the COVID-19 pandemic in people with mental disorders: An exploratory telephone interview study in a psychiatric outpatient department |
| title_fullStr | Managing the COVID-19 pandemic in people with mental disorders: An exploratory telephone interview study in a psychiatric outpatient department |
| title_full_unstemmed | Managing the COVID-19 pandemic in people with mental disorders: An exploratory telephone interview study in a psychiatric outpatient department |
| title_short | Managing the COVID-19 pandemic in people with mental disorders: An exploratory telephone interview study in a psychiatric outpatient department |
| title_sort | managing the covid 19 pandemic in people with mental disorders an exploratory telephone interview study in a psychiatric outpatient department |
| topic | Mental disorder Pandemic (COVID-19) COVID-19 lockdown Psychiatry Depressive symptoms Medical care provision |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010440X22000190 |
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