Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on Psychological Condition and Disease Severity in Patients with Behcet's Disease

ABSTRACT

Objective: Behcet's disease (BD) is an episodic and chronic multisystemic disease. Many comorbid psychiatric disorders are frequently encountered in BD. In addition, it is reported that individuals with chronic diseases during the epidemic period are at risk for COVID-19 infection. Therefore, these situations may cause anxiety levels to increase and coping strategies to decrease overall psychological conditions in patients with BD. However, individuals with both psychiatric complaints and comorbid inflammatory and chronic diseases such as BD are more prone to this stressful situation than healthy individuals. In the current study, we aimed to determine whether patients with Behcet's Disease (BD) are psychologically more sensitive than healthy individuals and whether disease severity increase with the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: One hundred and fifty-six patients with BD and 156 healthy volunteers were included in the study. All participants received Perceived COVID-19 Threat Form (PCTF), Suicide-Ideation Scale (SIS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), The Ability to Cope with Trauma (PACT), well-being index (PGWB) scales. Results: When the responses of the patient with BD and control groups to the psychiatric evaluation scales were examined;the mean scores of PCTF (p <0.001), SIS (p<0.001), HADS-depression (p<0.001) and HADS-anxiety (p<0.001) in patients with BD were significantly higher than the control group. Mean scores of PGWB (p<0.001) and PACT (p= 0.042) in the patient group were found to be lower. In the relationship analysis, BSAS scores were associated with PCTF scores (r=0.20, p=0.013), and PGWB scores were associated with PACT scores (r=0.53, p=0.001). Conclusion: COVID-19 pandemic affects the mental health of both male and female patients with BD significantly. In patients with BD, while disease severity was associated with the perceived COVID threat, psychological well-being was associated with existing psychiatric complaints and patients' ability to cope with trauma. The findings of our study support that patients with BD may need more psychological support than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic.