TY - JOUR

T1 - Psychological Distress among Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in Denmark during the First 12 Months of the Pandemic

AU - Moseholm, Ellen

AU - Midtgaard, Julie

AU - Bollerup, Signe

AU - Apol, Asa D.

AU - Olesen, Oskar B.

AU - Jespersen, Sofie

AU - Weis, Nina

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - This study aimed to investigate psychological distress among patients hospitalized with a COVID-19 diagnosis in Denmark during the first 12 months of the pandemic and to assess changes in psychological distress in the three months following discharge. A single-center prospective observational survey study among patients hospitalized with a COVID-19 diagnosis between May 2020 and May 2021 was conducted. Participants completed a survey at three time points: at admission, and 1 and 3 months after discharge. Psychological distress was assessed by validated scales measuring symptoms related to depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). In total, 95 patients were included. At admission, the proportion of patients with symptoms of depression was 43%, symptoms of anxiety 32%, moderate/high level of stress 39%, insomnia 52%, and probable/positive PTSD 19%. The burden of symptoms related to depression and anxiety decreased significantly over time, while there was no significant change over time in stress, insomnia, or PTSD. Suboptimal levels of physical and mental HRQoL were detected at admission but improved over time. Patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 during the first year of the pandemic experienced considerable levels of psychological distress at admission, with some improvements within 3 months after discharge.

AB - This study aimed to investigate psychological distress among patients hospitalized with a COVID-19 diagnosis in Denmark during the first 12 months of the pandemic and to assess changes in psychological distress in the three months following discharge. A single-center prospective observational survey study among patients hospitalized with a COVID-19 diagnosis between May 2020 and May 2021 was conducted. Participants completed a survey at three time points: at admission, and 1 and 3 months after discharge. Psychological distress was assessed by validated scales measuring symptoms related to depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). In total, 95 patients were included. At admission, the proportion of patients with symptoms of depression was 43%, symptoms of anxiety 32%, moderate/high level of stress 39%, insomnia 52%, and probable/positive PTSD 19%. The burden of symptoms related to depression and anxiety decreased significantly over time, while there was no significant change over time in stress, insomnia, or PTSD. Suboptimal levels of physical and mental HRQoL were detected at admission but improved over time. Patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 during the first year of the pandemic experienced considerable levels of psychological distress at admission, with some improvements within 3 months after discharge.

KW - COVID-19

KW - hospitalization

KW - psychological distress

KW - anxiety

KW - depression

KW - HRQoL

KW - POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER

KW - INSOMNIA SEVERITY INDEX

KW - MENTAL-HEALTH-CARE

KW - DEPRESSION SCALE

KW - ANXIETY

KW - VALIDATION

U2 - 10.3390/ijerph191610097

DO - 10.3390/ijerph191610097

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36011732

VL - 19

JO - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

JF - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

SN - 1661-7827

IS - 16

M1 - 10097

ER -