Features of the Manifestation of Psychopathological Symptoms in Patients with COVID-19 during Different Periods of the Pandemic

Psychopathological symptoms observed in a significant proportion of patients with the New Coronavirus Infection (COVID-19) can have an adverse effect on the course of the underlying disease. Psychopathological manifestations with current SARS-CoV-2 infection can be classified within the framework of nosogenies, somatogenies, and iatrogenies. Target (Objective): to analyze features of the manifestation of psychopathological symptoms in patients with COVID-19 during different periods of the pandemic. The study was conducted on the basis of the infectious diseases department of the Chelyabinsk City Clinical Hospital No. 8 from January to December 2021. The study involved 144 34-79 years patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. Methods used: clinical-psychopathological, clinical-psychological, and psychometric ones (SCL-90-R; HADS). Statistical analyses were performed using Fisher's angular transformation (Fisher's φ* criterion) and One-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's Post Hoc HSD test for multiple comparisons. The results obtained indicate wave-like changes in psychopathological manifestations in patients with COVID-19 in different months of 2021 with maximum values in January-February, a pronounced decrease in indicators in April-June, an increase in September-October and a slight decrease in November-December. The identified changes in the prevalence of psychopathological manifestations in patients with COVID-19 during different periods of the pandemic reflect the influence of a complex set of dynamically interacting biological, psychological and social factors. Wherein, the infodemic, an increased assessment of subjective danger, and a feeling of loss of control over ongoing events were important factors in the growth of all indicators of psychopathological symptoms in patients with COVID-19 in the first and last quarters of 2021.