Risk Factors for Relapse in People with Severe Mental Disorders during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

Antonio José Sánchez-Guarnido,Rosario Garcia-Solier,Paloma Huertas,Marta León,Beatriz Díez,Javier Herruzo-Cabrera,Miguel Solano

doi:10.3390/healthcare10010064

Abstract

Background: Evidence suggests that different variables associated with the COVID-19 pandemic may increase the risk of relapse in people with Severe Mental Disorders (SMDs). However, no studies have yet looked closely at the different risk factors involved to determine their influence on the worsening of these patients’ illnesses. Objective: To analyze which variables related to the COVID-19 pandemic have increased the risk of relapse in patients with SMDs. Method: A multicenter retrospective cohort study in which data were collected from 270 patients with mental disorders who had been under follow-up in day hospitals during the year 2020. Results: The proportion of full mental health inpatient admissions was significantly higher in those who lost their employment (40.7% vs. 18.1%; p = 0.01), in those who were not receiving psychotherapy interventions (33.9% vs. 16.6%; p = 0.006), and in those who were not receiving occupational therapy (25.7% vs. 13.6%: p = 0.013). Significant associations were detected between urgent mental health consultations, the number of COVID-19 symptoms (B = 0.274; p = 0.02), and the low-income group (1.2424 vs. 0.4583; p = 0.018). Conclusions: COVID-19 symptoms and certain consequences of the pandemic, such as loss of employment, economic hardship, and loss of interventions, have brought about clinical worsening in people with SMDs. Knowledge of these factors is important for health-related decision-making in future outbreaks or pandemics.

Highlights

According to the United Nations [1], the new coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) is primarily a physical health crisis, it may be the source of a major mental health crisis
No significant differences were found for the rest of the potential risk factors, for any of the socio-demographic variables studied, or for diagnoses
People in our sample who had suffered the loss of a family member due to COVID-19 presented a greater number of emergencies, this was not statistically significant (M = 2.35; SD = 5.76 vs. M = 0.92; SD = 5.75; p = 0.289; d = 0.30)

Summary

Introduction

According to the United Nations [1], the new coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) is primarily a physical health crisis, it may be the source of a major mental health crisis. Different factors can increase mental health problems in the population. Other studies have found similar results and have identified some risk factors associated with increased mental health problems, such as having family members or acquaintances infected with the virus [8], abuse of social networks [9], and an excess of information through the media [10]. Evidence suggests that different variables associated with the COVID-19 pandemic may increase the risk of relapse in people with Severe Mental Disorders (SMDs). Objective: To analyze which variables related to the COVID-19 pandemic have increased the risk of relapse in patients with SMDs. Method: A multicenter retrospective cohort study in which data were collected from 270 patients with mental disorders who had been under follow-up in day hospitals during the year 2020. Knowledge of these factors is important for health-related decision-making in future outbreaks or pandemics

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