The Psychological Experience and Intervention in Post-Acute COVID-19 Inpatients.

PURPOSE: COVID-19 patients faced first-hand the life-threatening consequences of the disease, oftentimes involving prolonged hospitalization in isolation from family and friends. This study aimed at describing the psychological intervention to address the psychological difficulties and issues encountered by the hospitalized post-acute COVID-19 patients in a rehabilitation setting. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients' demographics, medical diagnosis, and neuro-psychological information were collected from March 2nd to May 12th, 2020. The main psychological issues and intervention strategies were collected. RESULTS: A total of 181 patients were hospitalized during this period. Among them, the 47.5% underwent psychological assessment (N=86; age: 74.58±13.39; 54.7% females). The most common psychological issues were acute stress disorders (18.6%), anxious and demoralization symptoms (26.7%), depression (10.5%%), and troublesome grief (8.1%). Once recovered from COVID-19, many patients were discharged home (38.4%), some received further rehabilitation in non-COVID-19 wards (41.9%), mostly due to pre-existent diseases (72.2%) rather than to COVID-19 complications (27.8%). CONCLUSION: A great number of the hospitalized post-acute COVID-19 patients showed psychological issues requiring psychological intervention, the most common were anxiety, demoralization, acute stress, depression, and grief. The proposed psychological treatment for hospitalized COVID-19 patients was conducted in a Cognitive Behavioral framework. In particular, during the COVID-19 pandemic, psychological intervention is an important part of rehabilitation in the post-acute phase of the illness to reduce distress symptoms and improve psychological health.

Gender differences and long-term outcome of over 75 elderlies in cardiac rehabilitation: highlighting the role of psychological and physical factors through a secondary analysis of a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Despite cardiac rehabilitation for elder people already showed its usefulness, to date it is still not clear the impact of gender and of psychological constructs in influencing the rehabilitation outcomes. AIM: This study aimed at exploring the gender differences of great elders (over 75 years old) in cardiac rehabilitation, with particular attention to the impact of physical and psychological conditions, as depressive symptoms, on long-term post-discharge outcomes. DESIGN: A cohort study design was used and a secondary analysis was conducted. SETTING: Cardiac rehabilitation unit of a postacute rehabilitation Institute. POPULATION: Elderly patients over 75 years old admitted to the cardiac rehabilitation program. METHODS: Psychological and functional variables, such as Barthel Index, BMI, quality of life, and depression measured at admission and discharge from CR were matched with mortality information up to 4 years, used as long-term outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 523 patients, 228 females and 295 males, with a mean age of 76.27 years±3.46 were progressively enrolled. Barthel index at admission and discharge was higher for males than females, 74.10±17.31 vs. 68.90 SD±16.81 (P<0.001), and 95.45±10.64 vs. 92.95±13.03 (p=0.021), respectively, while the relative change from admission to discharge Δ% of Barthel was higher for females 0.25±0.18 than for males 0.21±0.17 (P<0.05). Compared to males, either at admission or discharge females presented more severe depressive symptoms (5.21±3.46 vs. 3.86±2.79, P<0.001; 4.15±3.21 vs. 2.93±2.45, P<0.001) and a worse quality of life (10.58±2.15 vs. 9.55±2.24, P<0.001; 7.5±1.63 vs. 7.02±1.08, P=0.018). Cox proportional analysis revealed that female gender, depression at discharge, Barthel, and Comorbidity Index were associated with higher hazard and shorter survival time. On the other hand, higher BMI was associated with lower hazard and longer survival time. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly women following a CR program present more disability, depression, and a worse QoL than men. Obviously, these characteristics influence the length of hospitalization but with significant improvement. Despite the frail-gender paradox regarding survival, after CR program women have a higher risk of mortality than men. Depression has a significant negative impact on elderly psychophysical health. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: Gender-specific and individualized rehabilitation programs should be implemented by considering the discussed physical and psychological risk factors. Further insight about gender differences among over 75 elderlies in CR is provided, this knowledge may be useful for clinicians scheduling recovery plans to promote elderlies' psychological and physical health. Psychological interventions should be implemented to relieve the depressive symptoms among elders.

Psychophysical health of elderly inpatients in cardiac rehabilitation: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Elderlies in cardiac rehabilitation show a particular frailty due to specific aging issues, thus specific professional psychophysical care is required. AIM: This study aimed at evaluating the effect of a cardiac rehabilitation program enhanced with psychological support on the psychophysical health of elderly subjects aged ≥75. Moreover, the association of psychophysical conditions with the long-term post-discharge course of medical events was examined. DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study was conducted on elderly patients aged ≥75 admitted from 2015 to 2019 to a cardiac rehabilitation program including psychological support. SETTING: The cardiac ward and the psychology unit of a post-acute clinical rehabilitation Institute. POPULATION: A total of 523 elderly inpatients (44% females), aged ≥75 years (mean 79.7±3.46 years), admitted to a cardiac rehabilitation ward due to heart disease. METHODS: Psychological and functional variables such as depression, quality of life, and Barthel Index were measured at hospitalization and at discharge. The medical events after discharge such as emergency department accesses and rehospitalizations were registered. RESULTS: Cardiac rehabilitation showed significant improvements both in elderlies' psychological and physical health. Higher depression levels predicted a worse post-discharge course. Patients who received psychological intervention accessed emergency department and were re-hospitalized significantly later than the others. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac comprehensive rehabilitation can significantly improve the psycho-physical health of elderly subjects aged ≥75 who benefit of psychological support. Psychological support can enhance the psychophysical health of great elder inpatients in cardiac rehabilitation. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: Given the associations with short and long-term outcomes, health professionals should take care of the psychological conditions of elderlies (e.g., depression) by integrating psychological interventions in cardiac rehabilitation in order to promote the elderlies' psychophysical conditions, quality of life, as well as more favorable medical outcomes.