Prevalence of Psychological Distress and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Associated Factors in Hospitalized Iranian COVID-19 Patients

Mahobeh Faramarzi; Mohammad Chehrazi; Farzan Kheirkhah; Angela Hamidia; Fatemeh Gheisari; Mahbobeh Khoozan; Romina Hemzepour; Alireza Sefidchian; Seyed Davood Hosseini; Alireza Azizi; Sakineh Javadian; Arman Masoudi; Seyedeh Mahboobeh Mirtabar; Mahmood Sadeghi; Mehran Shokri; Mahmood Monadi; Babak Yeganeh; Masomeh Bayani; Sima Mohseni Ahangar; Najmeh Alijanzadeh; Mostafa Javanian; Arefeh Babazadeh

doi:10.5001/omj.2023.59

Prevalence of Psychological Distress and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Associated Factors in Hospitalized Iranian COVID-19 Patients

Oman Med J. 2023 Mar 31;38(2):e480. doi: 10.5001/omj.2023.59. eCollection 2023 Mar.

Authors

Mahobeh Faramarzi¹, Mohammad Chehrazi², Farzan Kheirkhah³, Angela Hamidia³, Fatemeh Gheisari⁴, Mahbobeh Khoozan³, Romina Hemzepour³, Alireza Sefidchian³, Seyed Davood Hosseini³, Alireza Azizi³, Sakineh Javadian³, Arman Masoudi³, Seyedeh Mahboobeh Mirtabar⁵, Mahmood Sadeghi⁶, Mehran Shokri⁶, Mahmood Monadi⁷, Babak Yeganeh⁸, Masomeh Bayani⁶, Sima Mohseni Ahangar⁸, Najmeh Alijanzadeh⁸, Mostafa Javanian⁶, Arefeh Babazadeh⁹

Affiliations

¹ Department of General Courses, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
² Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
³ Department of Psychiatry, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
⁴ Counselling in Midwifery, Student Research Committee, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
⁵ Student Research Committee, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
⁶ Department of Infectious Disease, School of Medicine, Health Research Institute, Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Science, Babol, Iran.
⁷ Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
⁸ Department of Infectious Disease, School of Medicine, Health Research Institute, Yahyanejad Hospital, Babol University of Medical Science, Babol, Iran.
⁹ Department of Infectious Disease, Infectious disease and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Science, Babol, Iran.

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of psychiatric symptoms/distress and posttraumatic stress (PTS) and associated factors among inpatients with COVID-19 before discharge from the hospital.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in two teaching referral hospitals in Babol, Iran from July to November 2020. The subjects were inpatients diagnosed with COVID-19 who were clinically stable. Before their discharge from the hospital, the patients completed three questionnaires: demographic data, Brief Symptom Inventory, and Primary Care Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Screen for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5.

Results: The subjects were 477 inpatients diagnosed with COVID-19 including 40 (8.4%) admitted to intensive care units. Their average age was 60.5±17.9 years; 53.9% were female. Most had symptoms of significant psychological distress (96.0%) and PTS (8.1%) prior to discharge. A higher level of education (-0.18; standard error (SE) = 0.05; p < 0.001) was a negative predictor of psychiatric distress. The admission to intensive care units (0.86; SE = 0.08; p< 0.001) was a positive predictor of psychiatric distress.

Conclusions: Most COVID-19 inpatients suffered significant psychiatric distress and PTS symptoms before discharge. Appropriate mental health crisis interventions are recommended for COVID-19 patients during hospitalization.

Keywords: COVID-19; Inpatients; Intensive Care Unit; Iran; Psychological Distress; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic.

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