MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES IN COVID-19 SURVIVORS: ROLE OF CLINICAL PREDICTORS

The COVID-19 pandemic had a major worldwide impact resulting in more than 7 million deaths due to COVID-19. Mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been observed in COVID-19 survivors worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the psychological impact of COVID-19 survivors three months after discharge from hospital and examine associated risk factors. 186 COVID-19 patients were assessed at baseline and three months after hospital discharge using questionnaires for depression, anxiety, insomnia, and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSD). Medical data, including comorbidities, complications, and psychiatric history, were collected, and analyzed. The study found a prevalence of PTSD, anxiety, and depression symptoms of 14%, 14% and 10.8% respectively three months after hospital discharge. Female gender was a risk factor for PTSD (OR 4.54), depression (OR 3.55) and anxiety (OR 3.06). Patients with psychiatric history were at higher risk of depression (OR 8.46) and anxiety (OR 4.00) but not of PTSD. No association was found with other clinical variables including inflammation markers. The prevalence of psychopathological outcomes in COVID-19 survivors in this study was increased compared to the general population and in line with previous research. Female gender and psychiatric history increased the risk of anxiety and depression. The absence of correlation between inflammation or other clinical variables and psychopathological outcome measures is discussed in comparison with prior research. More research is needed to understand these associations and the long-term effects of COVID-19 on mental health.