Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the novel coronavirus that is causing the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, was first reported in late 2019.1 As of mid-October 2020, >39 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 had been reported worldwide, and the United States was the most affected country with >8 million confirmed cases.2 Although the reported symptoms of COVID-19 are primarily respiratory with acute respiratory distress syndrome, SARS-CoV-2 has also been shown to affect other organs, including the brain, and there are emerging reports of neurologic symptoms due to COVID-19.3
Psychological endurance will be a challenge that many individuals will continue to face during and after the pandemic. Physical and social isolation, the disruption of daily routines, financial stress, food insecurity, and numerous other potential triggers for stress response have all been intensified due to this pandemic, creating a situation in which many individuals’ mental well-being and stability is likely to be threatened. The uncertain environment is likely to increase the frequency and/or severity of mental health problems worldwide. Psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety and depression have been reported among patients with SARS-CoV-1 during the previous severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic.4
In this article, we summarize 8 recent studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses to provide an overview of the psychiatric consequences of COVID-19. These studies are summarized in the Table.5-12 Clearly, the studies reviewed here are preliminary evidence, and our understanding of COVID-19’s effects on mental health, particularly its long-term sequelae, is certain to evolve with future research. However, these 8 studies describe how COVID-19 is currently affecting mental health among health care workers, patients, and the general public.
1. Vindegaard N, Benros ME. COVID-19 pandemic and mental health consequences: systematic review of the current evidence. Brain Behav Immun. 2020;89:531-542.
Vindegaard and Benros5 conducted a systematic review of the literature to characterize the impact of COVID-19–related psychiatric complications and COVID-19’s effect on the mental health of patients infected with COVID-19, as well as non-infected individuals.
Study design
- This systematic review included 43 studies that measured psychiatric disorders or symptoms in patients with COVID-19 and in a non-infected group.
- The non-infected group consisted of psychiatric patients, health care workers, and the general population.
- The review excluded studies with participants who were children, adolescents, or older adults, or had substance abuse or somatic disorders.
Outcomes
- Only 2 studies included patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection. Of the remaining 41 studies, 2 studies examined the indirect effects of the pandemic on psychiatric patients, 20 studies examined health care workers, and 19 studies examined the general population. Eighteen of the studies were case-control studies and 25 had no control group
Patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection. One case-control study showed an increased prevalence of depression in patients with COVID-19 who had recently recovered (29.2%) compared with participants who were in quarantine (9.8%). The other study showed posttraumatic stress symptoms in 96% of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 who were stable.
Continue to: Patients with preexisting psychiatric disorders