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Contamination-related behaviors, obsessions, and compulsions during the COVID-19 pandemic in a United States population sample.
Samuels, Jack; Holingue, Calliope; Nestadt, Paul S; Bienvenu, O Joseph; Phan, Phillip; Nestadt, Gerald.
  • Samuels J; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA. Electronic address: jacks@jhmi.edu.
  • Holingue C; Department of Mental Health, The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
  • Nestadt PS; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
  • Bienvenu OJ; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
  • Phan P; The Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School, Baltimore, MD, 21202, USA; Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
  • Nestadt G; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
J Psychiatr Res ; 138: 155-162, 2021 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1164125
ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Contamination-prevention behaviors such as mask wearing and physical distancing are crucial to reduce coronavirus transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesized that engagement in these behaviors could provoke obsessions and phobias in vulnerable individuals in the community.

METHODS:

A total of 2117 participants, systematically selected to represent the age, gender, and race distributions of the US population, completed an online survey that assessed demographic characteristics, clinical features, COVID-19 risks, and COVID-19 contamination-prevention behaviors. Logistic regression was used to estimate the magnitude of the relationships between the COVID-19 behavior score and clinically significant contamination obsessions, contamination compulsions, and pre-COVID-19 to current change in obsessive-compulsive symptom scores.

RESULTS:

The COVID-19 behavior score was significantly associated with contamination obsessions (odds ratio (OR) = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.12-1.16; p < 0.001) and contamination phobias (OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.12-1.16; p < 0.001). The COVID-19 behavior score also was associated with pre-pandemic to current increase in the overall obsessive-compulsive symptom score (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.09-1.23; p < 0.001), as well as increase in obsessive-compulsive symptom score excluding washing items (OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.07-1.19; p < 0.001). The magnitude of these relationships did not appreciably change, after adjustment for other variables associated with the outcomes. Moreover, the relationship was significant in those with or without OCD, and in individuals with different levels of doubt and COVID-19 risk.

CONCLUSIONS:

Contamination safety measures are critical for reducing the spread of COVID-19 in the community. However, they may be related to the development of contamination-related symptoms and OCD in vulnerable individuals, complicating the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders during this period.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: COVID-19 / Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Type of study: Observational study / Prognostic study Limits: Humans Country/Region as subject: North America Language: English Journal: J Psychiatr Res Year: 2021 Document Type: Article

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: COVID-19 / Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Type of study: Observational study / Prognostic study Limits: Humans Country/Region as subject: North America Language: English Journal: J Psychiatr Res Year: 2021 Document Type: Article