Association of preexisting psychiatric disorders with post-COVID-19 prevalence: a cross-sectional study.

Evidence demonstrating the association of preexisting psychiatric disorders with post-COVID-19 is limited. We aim to investigate the association using larger sample sizes and more extended postinfection periods than previous studies. A total of 6015 (response rate = 77.5%) COVID-19 survivors were surveyed using a self-administered questionnaire from July to September 2021. Poisson regression analysis with robust error variance was performed to estimate post-COVID-19 prevalence ratios (PRs) with or without preexisting psychiatric disorders. Participants with preexisting psychiatric disorders numbered 1067 (17.7%), and with post-COVID-19 were 2149 (35.7%). Post-COVID-19 PR with preexisting psychiatric disorders was 1.09 (95% CI 1.02-1.18, p = 0.013). The interaction between preexisting psychiatric disorders and postinfection periods was significant (p for interaction < 0.001). The subgroup analysis showed that those with preexisting psychiatric disorders might be at greater prolonged risk of post-COVID-19 than those without the disorders. These findings suggested that preexisting psychiatric disorders were associated with an increased post-COVID-19 risk, and post-COVID-19 with preexisting psychiatric disorders might prolong even if time passes.

Relationship between attitudes toward COVID-19 infection, depression and anxiety: a cross-sectional survey in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Although negative attitudes are known to develop with experiences of COVID-19 infection, it remains unclear whether such attitudes contribute to depression and anxiety as sequelae of COVID-19. We aimed to investigate the relationships between attitude towards COVID-19 infection and post-COVID-19 depression and anxiety. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of COVID-19 recovered patients was conducted from July to September 2021 in Japan. Outcome variables, depression and anxiety were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7); scores of 10 and above were identified as having symptoms of depression and anxiety, respectively. Exposure variables were whether participants were experiencing the following attitude strongly: threat to life due to COVID-19 infection, helplessness regarding COVID-19 infection, blaming a third party who did not restrain from going outside, blaming themselves for their COVID-19 infection, worry about spreading the infection to others, and self-stigma (Self-Stigma Scale-Short). Modified Poisson regression analyses were performed to analyze the findings. RESULTS: A total of 6016 responses were included in the analyses. The proportion of depression was 19.88%, and anxiety was 11.47%. The threat of life due to COVID-19 infection, helplessness regarding COVID-19 infection, blaming oneself for their COVID-19 infection, and self-stigma were significantly associated with depression and anxiety after adjusting covariates. Blaming the third party who did not restrain from going outside was associated with anxiety. There was no association between the worry about spreading infection to others and depression or anxiety. CONCLUSION: Negative attitudes, including self-stigma with the experience of COVID-19 infection, were related to depression and anxiety. Further studies confirming whether countermeasures for preventing or decreasing the negative attitude towards COVID-19 infection mitigate these symptoms are needed.

Relationship between COVID-19-specific occupational stressors and mental distress in frontline and non-frontline staff.

This study investigated the difference in the severity of mental distress and factors contributing to mental distress in frontline and non-frontline healthcare professionals during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. A cross-sectional web-based survey of medical staff collected by snow-ball sampling was performed in Japan in October 2020 using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6) as an outcome measure for mental distress. Originally developed items asking about the degree of change in psychological and physical burdens, COVID-19-related fear, and experience of discrimination were obtained. The median score of the K6 was 7 in the frontline staff group (n = 86) and 6 in the non-frontline staff group (n = 504), without a statistically significant difference. Multiple regression analyses showed that among the participants, an increase in psychological burden and COVID-19-related fear was significantly associated with mental distress in both groups. Experience of discrimination was significantly associated with mental distress only in the frontline staff group. However, an increase in physical burden was significantly associated with mental distress only in the non-frontline staff group. The results indicate that the factors contributing to mental distress between frontline and non-frontline staff can be different, although the severity of mental distress is comparable between them.

Differences in the Course of Depression and Anxiety after COVID-19 Infection between Recovered Patients with and without a Psychiatric History: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine the course of depression and anxiety in COVID-19 survivors with a psychiatric history compared with those without a psychiatric history. METHODS: A web-based cross-sectional survey for COVID-19 survivors was conducted from July to September 2021. A total of 6016 COVID-19 survivors, the accuracy of whose responses was determined to be assured, were included in analyses. Exposures included psychiatric history and time since COVID-19 infection, and the main outcomes and measures included severity of depression and anxiety, as assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), respectively. RESULTS: Mean severity of PHQ-9 and GAD-7 were significantly higher in participants with a psychiatric history than in those without a psychiatric history. Two-way analysis of covariance for PHQ-9 showed a significant main effect of the presence of psychiatric history and a significant interaction effect of psychiatric history × time since infection. Two-way analysis of covariance for the GAD-7 score revealed a significant main effect of the presence of psychiatric history and time since COVID-19 infection and the interaction effect of these factors. CONCLUSIONS: The course of depression and anxiety was more severe in COVID-19 survivors with a psychiatric history than in those without a psychiatric history.

Relationship between COVID-19-specific occupational stressors and mental distress in frontline and non-frontline staff

This study investigated the difference in the severity of mental distress and factors contributing to mental distress in frontline and non-frontline healthcare professionals during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. A cross-sectional web-based survey of medical staff collected by snow-ball sampling was performed in Japan in October 2020 using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6) as an outcome measure for mental distress. Originally developed items asking about the degree of change in psychological and physical burdens, COVID-19-related fear, and experience of discrimination were obtained. The median score of the K6 was 7 in the frontline staff group (n = 86) and 6 in the non-frontline staff group (n = 504), without a statistically significant difference. Multiple regression analyses showed that among the participants, an increase in psychological burden and COVID-19-related fear was significantly associated with mental distress in both groups. Experience of discrimination was significantly associated with mental distress only in the frontline staff group. However, an increase in physical burden was significantly associated with mental distress only in the non-frontline staff group. The results indicate that the factors contributing to mental distress between frontline and non-frontline staff can be different, although the severity of mental distress is comparable between them. COVID-19;Health care worker, Frontline, Non-frontline, Mental distress.

Decrease in Social Zeitgebers Is Associated With Worsened Delayed Sleep-Wake Phase Disorder: Findings During the Pandemic in Japan.

Background: Delay in sleep-wake rhythms was observed in the general population during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Patients with delayed sleep-wake phase disorder (DSWPD) may have also experienced exacerbation of symptoms, but no studies have investigated this topic. In this study, we aimed to retrospectively examine the changes in symptoms of outpatients with DSWPD both before and during the pandemic and to identify the factors associated with the exacerbation of sleep-wake rhythms. Methods: We included outpatients with DSWPD aged 16 years or older who visited the outpatient clinic due to sleep disorders between January and September 2020. Decreased social zeitgebers was defined as a reduction of 50% or more in the frequency of commuting to school or work during the COVID-19 pandemic. The severity of DSWPD was assessed using the clinical global impressions - severity of illness (CGI-S) at two points: before and during the pandemic. We defined the worsened, unchanged, and improved groups as those whose CGI-S scores worsened by at least one point, remained unchanged, and improved by at least one point, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the factors associated with worsened DSWPD symptoms. Results: Sixty patients with DSWPD were eligible for this study. Even before the pandemic, patients who were unemployed or did not attend school tended to show more severe DSWPD symptoms. During the pandemic, 27 patients belonged to the worsened group; 28 patients, unchanged group; and 5 patients, improved group. Decreased social zeitgebers (odds ratio [OR] = 6.668, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.653-26.891, p < 0.05) and comorbid mood disorders (OR = 8.876, 95% CI: 1.714-45.974, p < 0.05) showed independent significant associations with the worsening of DSWPD symptoms. Conclusions: During the pandemic, the symptoms of DSWPD tended to worsen. The obtained findings emphasize the importance of social zeitgebers, suggesting the need for external motivation in DSWPD treatment.

Decrease in Social Zeitgebers Is Associated With Worsened Delayed Sleep-Wake Phase Disorder: Findings During the Pandemic in Japan

Background Delay in sleep-wake rhythms was observed in the general population during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Patients with delayed sleep-wake phase disorder (DSWPD) may have also experienced exacerbation of symptoms, but no studies have investigated this topic. In this study, we aimed to retrospectively examine the changes in symptoms of outpatients with DSWPD both before and during the pandemic and to identify the factors associated with the exacerbation of sleep-wake rhythms. Methods We included outpatients with DSWPD aged 16 years or older who visited the outpatient clinic due to sleep disorders between January and September 2020. Decreased social zeitgebers was defined as a reduction of 50% or more in the frequency of commuting to school or work during the COVID-19 pandemic. The severity of DSWPD was assessed using the clinical global impressions - severity of illness (CGI-S) at two points: before and during the pandemic. We defined the worsened, unchanged, and improved groups as those whose CGI-S scores worsened by at least one point, remained unchanged, and improved by at least one point, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the factors associated with worsened DSWPD symptoms. Results Sixty patients with DSWPD were eligible for this study. Even before the pandemic, patients who were unemployed or did not attend school tended to show more severe DSWPD symptoms. During the pandemic, 27 patients belonged to the worsened group;28 patients, unchanged group;and 5 patients, improved group. Decreased social zeitgebers (odds ratio [OR] = 6.668, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.653–26.891, p < 0.05) and comorbid mood disorders (OR = 8.876, 95% CI: 1.714–45.974, p < 0.05) showed independent significant associations with the worsening of DSWPD symptoms. Conclusions During the pandemic, the symptoms of DSWPD tended to worsen. The obtained findings emphasize the importance of social zeitgebers, suggesting the need for external motivation in DSWPD treatment.

Psychological burden of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder traits on medical workers under the COVID-19 outbreak: a cross-sectional web-based questionnaire survey.

OBJECTIVES: There are numerous reports on the psychological burden of medical workers after the COVID-19 outbreak; however, no study has examined the influence of developmental characteristics on the mental health of medical workers. The objective of this study was to examine whether the developmental characteristics of medical workers are associated with anxiety and depression after the COVID-19 outbreak. DESIGN: We conducted an online cross-sectional questionnaire survey in October 2020. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: The data of 640 medical workers were analysed. The questionnaire included items on sociodemographic data, changes in their life after the COVID-19 outbreak and symptoms of depression, anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) traits and autism spectrum disorder traits. MAIN OUTCOMES: Depression symptoms were assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and anxiety symptoms were assessed by the Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7. A series of hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed to test the effects of developmental characteristics on depression and anxiety symptoms after controlling for sociodemographic factors and changes in participants' lives after the COVID-19 outbreak. RESULTS: Increases in physical and psychological burden were observed in 49.1% and 78.3% of the subjects, respectively. The results of a multiple regression analysis showed that ADHD traits were significantly associated with both depression (ß=0.390, p<0.001) and anxiety (ß=0.426, p<0.001). Autistic traits were significantly associated with depression (ß=0.069, p<0.05) but not anxiety. Increased physical and psychological burden, being female, medical workers other than physicians and nurses, fear of COVID-19 and experience of discrimination were also significantly associated with both depression and anxiety. CONCLUSION: Globally, the burden on medical workers increased. This study suggested that medical workers with higher ADHD traits may need special attention during the COVID-19 pandemic.