ABSTRACT
Objective: This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lock-down on patients with mental illness. Methods: Patients in inpatient or outpatient psychiatric treatment received a questionnaire, examining psychological distress and psychiatric care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: More than half of the patients indicated that the state of emergency had a negative impact on their mental illness. Severely ill patients were more affected. Conclusion: Patients with mental illness are a particularly vulnerable group in the current crisis. Psychiatric and psychotherapeutic care needs to be adapted accordingly;the specific burden and distress needs to be examined actively in patients from all diagnostic groups. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved) Abstract (German) Ziel der Studie: Wir untersuchen die alltagsrelevanten und klinischen Auswirkungen der aktuellen Corona-Krise auf Menschen mit vorbestehenden psychischen Erkrankungen. Methode: Neben der klinischen Untersuchung wurde den Patienten, die sich derzeit in unserer stationaren oder ambulanten Behandlung befinden, ein standardisierter Fragebogen zur subjektiven Belastung und psychiatrischen Versorgung ausgehandigt. Ergebnisse: Mehr als die Halfte der Befragten sah eine Verschlechterung der psychischen Erkrankung durch den Ausnahmezustand. Schwerer Erkrankte waren starker belastet. Schlussfolgerung: Patienten mit psychischen Erkrankungen stellen in der gegenwartigen Krise eine besonders vulnerable Gruppe dar. Es bedarf einer Anpassung der psychiatrischen und psychotherapeutischen Versorgung;spezifische Belastungen mussen bei Patienten mit allen Diagnosegruppen aktiv erfragt werden. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)
Subject(s)
Betacoronavirus , Coronavirus Infections , Pandemics , Pneumonia, Viral , COVID-19 , Emergencies , Humans , Pandemics/prevention & control , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lock-down on patients with mental illness. METHODS: Patients in inpatient or outpatient psychiatric treatment received a questionnaire, examining psychological distress and psychiatric care during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: More than half of the patients indicated that the state of emergency had a negative impact on their mental illness. Severely ill patients were more affected. CONCLUSION: Patients with mental illness are a particularly vulnerable group in the current crisis. Psychiatric and psychotherapeutic care needs to be adapted accordingly; the specific burden and distress needs to be examined actively in patients from all diagnostic groups.
Subject(s)
Coronavirus Infections/psychology , Mental Disorders/complications , Pneumonia, Viral/psychology , Psychological Distress , Betacoronavirus , COVID-19 , Germany , Humans , Pandemics , SARS-CoV-2Subject(s)
Coronavirus Infections/economics , Coronavirus Infections/psychology , Depression/psychology , Pandemics/economics , Pneumonia, Viral/economics , Pneumonia, Viral/psychology , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , COVID-19 , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Mental Disorders/psychology , Mental Health/trends , Middle AgedABSTRACT
We have recently observed several clusters of psychiatric symptoms in the context of COVID-19: (1) increased anxiety in psychiatric in- and outpatients with different diagnoses; (2) more cases of domestic violence often associated with increased drug- or alcohol-consumption in offenders and victims; (3) a nihilistic "apocalyptic" syndrome of elderly patients cut-off from their families; (4) visual and acoustic hallucinoses due to pneumonia and sepsis-related confusional states. Cases of chloroquine-related toxicity have been reported elsewhere, but have not been observed in our hospital so far. Mental issues related to COVID-19 reported from China and practical recommendations are briefly summarized. Many patients with serious mental disorders will suffer world-wide due to a reallocation of medical, social and financial ressources.