Mental health of patients with chronic diseases during the Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in Serbia - A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction. Since the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020, it has become the greatest public health threat worldwide. People with chronic diseases were identified as the group at risk for fatal outcome. The purpose of this research is to estimate the mental health of patients with chronic diseases during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Material and Methods. A total of 463 individuals (50.8% female), with the average age of 46.63 years (SD = 14.29, ranging from 20 to 75 years of age) participated in the research. The subjects were divided into two groups, based on the existence of at least one chronic disease. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 was used to assess the mental health of the participants. The research was conducted in August 2020. The impact of chronic illness on depression, anxiety, and stress levels was assessed using linear regression models. Results. The prevalence of chronic diseases among the participants was 44.3%. The participants with chronic diseases presented with higher levels of depression (p < 0.05), anxiety (p < 0.001), and stress (p < 0.001) compared to healthy participants. The presence of chronic illness remains a significant predictor of all the dependent variables, even after the inclusion of multiple variables in the final regression model: depression (Beta [?] 0.37; 95% confidence interval: 2.67 - 4.42; p < 0.01), anxiety (Beta [?] 0.19; 95% confidence interval: 0.80 - 2.55; p < 0.01), and stress (Beta [?] 0.09; 95% confidence interval: 0.01 - 2.13; p < 0.05). Conclusion. About five months after the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic was declared, the investigation of mental health of chronically ill adults in Serbia shows an increased amount of stress, anxiety, and depression in this subpopulation.