Evaluation of the Relationship between Stress and Severity of Covid-19 Symptoms and Sleep Quality in Covid-19 Patients.

Abstract

Introduction and aim:Coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) is a viral disease that appeared in late 2019 in China. Different factors can cause psychological problems in Covid-19 patients. Stress is one of the most common problems in people with communicable diseases. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between stress and the severity of symptoms and sleep quality in Covid-19 patients. Methods:This was a descriptive-analytical study. The sample size included 300 Covid-19 patients. Demographic information form, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and researcher-made questionnaire were used to collect data. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS ver.16. Results:The majority of participants obtained a stress score between 4 and 6 (moderate). Most of them felt stressed regarding the risk of transmitting the disease to their family members (63%) and more than half (56.3%) had the highest stress level during the first week of the disease because they were frightened by the Covid-19 infection and its prognosis. With regard to sleep, most participants had between six and 10 hours of sleep (53.7%). Conclusion:The results of the present study showed that perceived stress among Covid-19 patients had a direct effect on the severity of respiratory and neurological symptoms and affected their sleep quality.