Psychological distress in the face of a pandemic: An observational study characterizing the impact of COVID-19 on immigrant outpatient mental health.
Psychiatry Res
; 295: 113595, 2021 01.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33296817
ABSTRACT
Undocumented immigrants have disproportionately suffered during the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic due to factors including limited medical access and financial insecurity, which can exacerbate pandemic-associated distress. Psychological outcomes for immigrant outpatients were assessed after transition to telepsychiatry in March 2020. Mental health was assessed with Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-2) inventories, a novel coronavirus-specific survey, and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10+). Feedback on telepsychiatry sessions and access to non-clinical resources were also gathered, after which multivariable linear regression modeling identified psychosocial factors underlying changes in distress levels. 48.57% and 45.71% of participants reported worsened anxiety and depression levels due to the pandemic, respectively. From March to April, PHQ-2 and GAD-2 scores significantly increased by 0.81 and 0.63 points, respectively. The average total psychological distress score was 23.8, with 60% of scores reflecting serious mental illness. Factors that most influenced K10+ scores included a pre-existing depressive disorder, food insecurity, and comfort during telepsychiatry visits. 93.75% of participants believed access to remote psychiatry helped their mental health during COVID-19. The negative impact of COVID-19 on mental health in vulnerable populations stems from medical and psychosocial factors such as pre-existing psychiatric conditions and unmet essential needs.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Ansiedade
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Pacientes Ambulatoriais
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Estresse Psicológico
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Telemedicina
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Depressão
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Emigrantes e Imigrantes
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Angústia Psicológica
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COVID-19
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Serviços de Saúde Mental
Tipo de estudo:
Observational_studies
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Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Adult
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Psychiatry Res
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article