Trajectories of mental health outcomes following COVID-19 infection: a prospective longitudinal study.
BMC Public Health
; 24(1): 452, 2024 Feb 13.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38350959
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a global mental health crisis. Yet, we know little about the lasting effects of COVID-19 infection on mental health. This prospective longitudinal study aimed to investigate the trajectories of mental health changes in individuals infected with COVID-19 and to identify potential predictors that may influence these changes.METHODS:
A web-survey that targeted individuals that had been infected with COVID-19 was used at three time-points T0 (baseline), T1 (six months), and T2 (twelve months). The survey included demographics, questions related to COVID-19 status, previous psychiatric diagnosis, post-COVID impairments, fatigue, and standardized measures of depression, anxiety, insomnia. Linear mixed models were used to examine changes in depression, anxiety, and insomnia over time and identify factors that impacted trajectories of mental health outcomes.RESULTS:
A total of 236 individuals completed assessments and was included in the longitudinal sample. The participants' age ranged between 19 and 81 years old (M = 48.71, SD = 10.74). The results revealed notable changes in mental health outcomes over time. The trajectory of depression showed significant improvement over time while the trends in anxiety and insomnia did not exhibit significant changes over time. Younger participants and individuals who experienced severe COVID-19 infection in the acute phase were identified as high-risk groups with worst mental ill-health. The main predictors of the changes in the mental health outcomes were fatigue and post-COVID impairments.CONCLUSIONS:
The findings of our study suggest that mental health outcomes following COVID-19 infection exhibit a dynamic pattern over time. The study provides valuable insights into the mental health trajectory following COVID-19 infection, emphasizing the need for ongoing assessment, support, and interventions tailored to the evolving mental health needs of this population.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
COVID-19
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Distúrbios do Início e da Manutenção do Sono
Tipo de estudo:
Observational_studies
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Prognostic_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Adult
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Aged
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Aged80
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Humans
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Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article