Evidence-Based Reviews

The psychiatric consequences of COVID-19: 8 Studies

Current Psychiatry. 2020 November;19(11):22-24,28-30,32-35 | doi:10.12788/cp.0055

References

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5. Vindegaard N, Benros ME. COVID-19 pandemic and mental health consequences: systematic review of the current evidence. Brain Behav Immun. 2020;89:531-542.
6. Pappa S, Ntella V, Giannakas T, et al. Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and insomnia among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Brain Behav Immun. 2020;88:901-907.
7. Loades ME, Chatburn E, Higson-Sweeney N, et al. Rapid systematic review: the impact of social isolation and loneliness on the mental health of children and adolescents in the context of COVID-19 [published online June 3, 2020]. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2020;S0890-8567(20)30337-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2020.05.009.
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Patients with preexisting psychiatric disorders. Two studies found increased symptoms of psychiatric disorders.

Health care workers. Depression (6 studies) and anxiety symptoms (8 studies) were increased among health care workers compared with the general public or administrative staff. However, 2 studies found no difference in these symptoms among health care workers compared with the general public. Poor sleep quality and more obsessive-compulsive symptoms were reported in health care workers compared with the general public.

General public. Compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic, lower psychological well-being and increased rates of depression and anxiety were noted among the general public. Higher rates of anxiety and depression were also found in parents of children who were hospitalized during the pandemic compared with prior to the pandemic. One study found no difference between being in quarantine or not.

Current or prior medical illness was associated with higher rates of anxiety and depression. One study found higher social media exposure was associated with increased anxiety and depression. Female health care workers had higher rates of anxiety and depression symptoms.

Conclusions/limitations

This systematic review included 39 studies from Asia and 4 from Europe, but none from other continents, which may affect the external validity of the results. Most of the studies included were not case-controlled, which limits the ability to comment on association. Because there is little research on this topic, only 2 of the studies focused on psychiatric symptoms in patients with COVID-19. In most studies, the reporting of psychiatric disorders was vague and only a few studies used assessment tools, such as the General Anxiety Disorder-7 or the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, for reporting depression and anxiety.

2. Pappa S, Ntella V, Giannakas T, et al. Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and insomnia among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Brain Behav Immun. 2020;88:901-907.

Pappa et al⁶ examined the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of health care workers, with specific focus on the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and insomnia.

Continue to: Study design

The psychiatric consequences of COVID-19: 8 Studies

References

Conclusions/limitations

2. Pappa S, Ntella V, Giannakas T, et al. Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and insomnia among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Brain Behav Immun. 2020;88:901-907.

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