Your browser doesn't support javascript.
Association of PTSD with COVID-19 testing and infection in the Veterans Health Administration.
Haderlein, Taona P; Wong, Michelle S; Yuan, Anita; Llorente, Maria D; Washington, Donna L.
  • Haderlein TP; VA HSR&D Center for the Study of Health Care Innovation, Implementation and Policy, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
  • Wong MS; VA HSR&D Center for the Study of Health Care Innovation, Implementation and Policy, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
  • Yuan A; VA HSR&D Center for the Study of Health Care Innovation, Implementation and Policy, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
  • Llorente MD; Department of Veterans Affairs, Patient Care Services, Washington, DC, USA; Georgetown University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Washington, DC, USA.
  • Washington DL; VA HSR&D Center for the Study of Health Care Innovation, Implementation and Policy, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Lo
J Psychiatr Res ; 143: 504-507, 2021 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-939091
ABSTRACT
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) risk factors, such as hypertension and obesity. Associations between PTSD and COVID-19 outcomes may affect Veterans Health Administration (VA) services, as PTSD occurs at higher rates among veterans than the general population. While previous research has identified the potential for increased PTSD prevalence resulting from COVID-19 as a public health concern, no known research examines the effect of pre-existing PTSD on COVID-19 test-seeking behavior or infection. This study aimed to evaluate pre-existing PTSD as a predictor of COVID-19 testing and test positivity. The sample consisted of 6,721,407 veterans who sought VA care between March 1, 2018 and February 29, 2020. Veterans with a previous PTSD clinical diagnosis were more likely to receive COVID-19 testing than veterans without PTSD. However, among those with available COVID-19 test results (n = 168,032), veterans with a previous PTSD clinical diagnosis were less likely to test positive than veterans without PTSD. Elevated COVID-19 testing rates among veterans with PTSD may reflect increased COVID-19 health concerns and/or hypervigilance. Lower rates of COVID-19 test positivity among veterans with PTSD may reflect increased social isolation, or overrepresentation in the tested population due to higher overall use of VA services. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the identification of patient-level psychiatric predictors of testing and test positivity can facilitate the targeted provision of medical and mental health services to individuals in need.
Subject(s)
Keywords

Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Veterans / COVID-19 Type of study: Diagnostic study / Experimental Studies / Observational study / Prognostic study Topics: Long Covid Limits: Humans Country/Region as subject: North America Language: English Journal: J Psychiatr Res Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: J.jpsychires.2020.11.033

Similar

MEDLINE

...
LILACS

LIS


Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Veterans / COVID-19 Type of study: Diagnostic study / Experimental Studies / Observational study / Prognostic study Topics: Long Covid Limits: Humans Country/Region as subject: North America Language: English Journal: J Psychiatr Res Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: J.jpsychires.2020.11.033