Abstract
BackgroundRecent research has shown that the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and social isolation on people’s mental health are quite extensive, but there are limited studies on the effects of the pandemic on patients with mental health disorders.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to assess the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals who have previously sought treatment for a mental health disorder.MethodsThis study uses the newly developed Epidemic-Pandemic Impacts Inventory (EPII) survey. This tool was designed to assess tangible impacts of epidemics and pandemics across personal and social life domains. From November 9, 2020, to February 18, 2021, a total of 245 adults recruited from a mental health clinic completed the consent form and responded to the survey link from the Siyan Clinical Corporation and Siyan Clinical Research practices located in Santa Rosa, California, USA.ResultsWe found that the least affected age group included individuals aged 75 years or older. This was followed closely by the 65- to 75-year-old age group. People with children under the age of 18 years also reported both more negative indicators associated with the pandemic and more positive indicators compared to those without children at home. Gender queer, nonconforming, and transgender individuals may also be at higher risk for more negative impacts associated with the pandemic. When respondents were assessed with regard to their mental health diagnosis, no differences were noted. Substance use also increased during the pandemic.ConclusionsIn conclusion, the data collected here may serve as foundational research in the prevention, care, and treatment of mental health disorders during pandemics such as COVID-19. Populations such as those with previously diagnosed mental health disorders are particularly at risk for negative effects of pandemic-related stressors such as social isolation, especially if they have children in the household, are part of a younger age group, or have substance use disorder. Gender may also be a factor. Further, the EPII survey may prove to be a useful tool in understanding these effects. Overall, these data may be a critical step toward understanding the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations with a mental health diagnosis, which may aid mental health practitioners in understanding the consequences of pandemics on their patients’ overall well-being.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04568135; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04568135
Highlights
The World Health Organization announced that the COVID-19 outbreak had become a global pandemic on March 11, 2020
One cross-sectional study conducted across 34 hospitals in China demonstrated that among health care workers exposed to COVID-19, women, nurses, those in Wuhan, and frontline health care workers have a high risk of developing negative mental health outcomes and may need psychological support or interventions [2]
In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers in China observed that 53.8% of survey respondents rated the psychological impact of the outbreak as moderate or severe, 16.5% reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms, and 28.8% reported moderate to severe anxiety symptoms [3]
Summary
The World Health Organization announced that the COVID-19 outbreak had become a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. Recent research has shown that the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and social isolation on people’s mental health are quite extensive, but there are limited studies on the effects of the pandemic on patients with mental health disorders. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals who have previously sought treatment for a mental health disorder. Conclusions: In conclusion, the data collected here may serve as foundational research in the prevention, care, and treatment of mental health disorders during pandemics such as COVID-19 Populations such as those with previously diagnosed mental health disorders are at risk for negative effects of pandemic-related stressors such as social isolation, especially if they have children in the household, are part of a younger age group, or have substance use disorder.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.