The psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic in quarantine population

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic sweeps across the world. Government policy to control the outbreak is to quarantine. The purpose of this study was to assess the psychological impacts of quarantine during COVID-19 outbreak. Materials and method: Self-report questionnaire was conducted from March 17, 2020, to April 20, 2020 including the outburst period in Daegu, Republic of Korea. Two-thousand and eighty subjects were participated. The online link was sent to the subjects who were now quarantined (NQ) or past-quarantined (PQ). The self-report questionnaire included patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), generalized anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7), primary care post-traumatic stress disorder screen for diagnostic and statistical manual-5 (PTSD-PC), state- trait anger expression inventory (STAX-I), and P4 suicidality screener scale(P4). Results: Among 2080 subjects 52.5% (95% CI, 50.3%-54.7%) for PHQ-9, 44.5% (95% CI, 42.4%-46.7%) for GAD-7, 39.4% (95% CI, 37.3%-41.6%) for PTSD-PC, 31.6% (95% CI, 29.6%-33.6%) for STAX-I, and 10.9% (95% CI, 9.6%-12.3%) for P4 exceeded cutoff value. NQ group (n = 608, 29%) show more anger than PQ (n = 1472, 71%) (aORs, 1.417 [95% CI, 1.119-1.796]). Especially subjects who were quarantined for more than 28 days in NQ (n = 238, 39%) had high risk for symptoms of PHQ-9 (aORs, 1.428 [95% CI, 1.081-1.886]), GAD-7 (aORs, 1.326 [95% CI, 1.008-1.744]), PTSD-PC (aORs, 1.427 [95% CI, 1.083-1.879]), and STAX-I (aORs, 1.354 [95% CI, 1.017-1.802] than PQ . Conclusion: Our result suggest that quarantine have negative psychological effects such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, anger. In particular NQ experiences more anger than PQ and the longer the period, the more depression, anxiety, PTSD, and anger. The result of this study will contribute to identify high risk individuals for mental health during quarantine.