ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Clinical reports from across the world have documented psychosis in the context of COVID-19 infection; however, there has yet to be a large-scale epidemiological study to confirm this association. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Healthy Minds Study (N = 15,935; conducted between September and December 2020), which was administered online to students attending one of 28 colleges in the United States. Using multivariable logistic regression, we examined the associations between COVID-19 infection/severity and psychotic experiences over the past 12 months, adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and international student status as well as anxiety and depression. RESULTS: More than one fifth of the analytic sample reported COVID-19 infection, and about one in six students with COVID-19 infection reported psychotic experiences over the past 12 months. In weighted multivariable logistic regression models, COVID-19 infection was associated with significantly greater odds of having psychotic experiences (adjusted odds ratio 1.36, 95% CI 1.19-1.48). Compared with being asymptomatic, having moderate (adjusted odds ratio 1.85, 95% CI 1.03-3.31) or severe (adjusted odds ratio 1.76, 95% CI 1.11-2.77) symptoms was associated with significantly greater odds of having psychotic experiences. These associations became statistically nonsignificant when adjusting for depression and anxiety. Hospitalization was not significantly associated with psychotic experiences among students with COVID-19 infection. CONCLUSIONS: Psychotic experiences are associated with COVID-19 infections, though much of the association is attenuated when accounting for anxiety and depression. Findings based on this sample of college students should be replicated outside of the college context to determine whether psychosis is a neuropsychiatric symptom during and after COVID-19 infection.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered the way of life in the United States, which may be linked to self-injurious behaviors. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from the Fall 2020 Cohort of the Healthy Minds Survey, a non-probability sample of students enrolled at one of 28 universities across the United States. Participants completed an online survey during the COVID-19 pandemic (September-December, 2020). RESULTS: Nearly a quarter of the sample (n = 6999) reported engaging in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), 12.41% (n = 3819) reported suicidal ideation, 4.98% (n = 1531) reported making a suicide plan, and 1.09% (n = 334) reported a suicide attempt over the past 12 months. When accounting for all COVID-19 factors in the same model, COVID-19 related concern, COVID-19 related discrimination, financial distress, and infection were significantly associated with NSSI, suicidal ideation, and suicide plan; caregiving was significantly associated with lower odds of engaging in non-suicidal self-injury. None of the factors were associated with suicide attempt. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that various COVID-19 factors were related to SIB. Interventions may consider multiple dimensions of COVID-19 and their specific impacts.