Assessing Mental Health Status among COVID-19 Recovery Patients in Bangladesh-A Pilot Study

ABSTRACT

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to have long-lasting profound repercussions on the mental health of surviving patients from COVID-19. The main goal of this study is to assess the mental strength among post-COVID-19 recovery patients. A pilot survey study was conducted with 60 participants who willingly completed the questionnaire consisting of PCL-5, GAD-7, PHQ-9, and relevant questions. Univariate, bivariate analysis, and multivariate logistic regression were conducted to find the significant risk and protective factors associated with the mental health of recovery patients. The result found that 48.33% of the patients had PTSD symptoms, 30% identified to have severe anxiety, and 53.33% of them had gone through severe depression. The severity of illness, hospitalization, ignorance by family members, people staying away from them even after recovery were significant risk factors, and eating nutritious food, wearing masks were significant protective factors for PTSD, anxiety, and depression (p<0.05). This study's findings can guide policymakers as well as family members to take proper initiatives towards COVID-19 recovery patients, such as providing counseling, ensuring rehabilitation, reducing social stigma, which may bring consequential relief from psychological illness.