Psychological Distress Reported by Patients with Atrial Fibrillation in China During COVID-19 (preprint)

ABSTRACT

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted routine cardiovascular health assessments and services. The objective of this study was to explore the factors associated with self-reported psychological distress among a sample of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) in China in relation to COVID-19. Methods: An online survey was administered to 288 patients with AF at several hospitals in China. The survey consisted of three sections demographic characteristics, questions related to COVID-19, and the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12). Results: A total of 177 patients with AF completed the baseline survey; 177 (61.46%) were male and 133 (46.18%) were older than 65 years. High levels of psychological distress (GHQ-12 ≥3) were observed in 27 (9.4%) participants of the sample. These high levels were found to be associated with older age, radiofrequency ablation, drinking, and combined basic diseases (p values < .05). Logistic regression analysis showed that psychological distress in patients with AF was associated with radiofrequency ablation (OR = 0.316, 95% CI = 0.147–0.666), drinking (OR = 4.761, 95% CI = 2.076–10.916), and concerns regarding infection (OR = 1.244, 95% CI = 1.052–1.472). Conclusions: COVID-19 has resulted in high levels of psychological distress in approximately 9.4% of patients with AF in China. Factors associated with high levels of psychological distress in AF patients include older age, radiofrequency ablation, drinking, and combined comorbidities. These findings highlight the importance of enhancing psychological health throughout the course of infectious pandemics.