STUDY OF DEPRESSION, ANXIETY & STRESS AMONG FAMILY MEMBERS OF HOSPITALIZED COVID-19 PATIENTS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL OF CENTRAL GUJARAT

ABSTRACT

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has caused mental health issues along with physical, social, and economic issues in both patients and their relatives.COVID-19-positive patients were hospitalized in isolation with no or limited access to relatives. These conditions may have contributed to signi?cant psychological distress in relatives and this study was designed to assess the same. To ?nd the prevalence of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Objectives: among Relatives of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. A cross-sectional quantitative tertiary care hospital-based Methods: study was conducted after approval from Institutional Human Ethics Committee. Relatives of hospitalized COVID-19 patients were assessed by purposive sampling method using Semi-Structured Performa including socio-demographic details, illness- related details, and DASS-21 (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress scale-21) via a telephonic mode of interview. A total of Results: 200 relatives of COVID-19 positive turned negative patients were interviewed on the ?rst day of the COVID 19 negative report. Majority of participants were male,mean age 41 years,literate,married & having ?rst degree relation with the patient. The prevalence of Depression, Anxiety and Stress was 12%. On individual parameters, Depression, Anxiety and Stress was found 25%,21%,and 20% respectively. Female relatives were signi?cantly associated with depression (?2= 8.689,P=.003) & anxiety(?2= 5.790,P=.016) where as longer hospitalization was signi?cantly associated with anxiety(?2= 10.216,P=.006) and stress(?2= 8.936,P=.011). Relatives of COVID-19 patients had a signi?cant amount of psychological stress. Conclusions: Female gender of relatives and longer duration of hospitalization of patients were important predictors.