How Does COVID-19 Affect Stress Levels in Hospitalized High-Risk Patients?

What you need to know

• Hospitalized patients suspected of having COVID-19 experience high levels of stress and post-traumatic stress symptoms.
• Patients who were actually diagnosed with COVID-19 showed higher levels of general stress compared to those who tested negative.
• The study suggests that routine mental health screening for high-risk patients in hospitals could be beneficial.

Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected people’s lives in many ways, including their mental health. Researchers have been particularly interested in understanding how the virus impacts stress levels in people who are hospitalized with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. This study aimed to shed light on this important issue by examining stress and post-traumatic stress symptoms in a group of high-risk patients admitted to the hospital with suspected COVID-19.

What is Post-Traumatic Stress?

Before diving into the study’s findings, it’s important to understand what post-traumatic stress is. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Symptoms can include intrusive thoughts about the event, nightmares, severe anxiety, and changes in mood and behavior. In the context of this study, being hospitalized with a suspected serious illness like COVID-19 could potentially be a traumatic experience for some people.

The Study: Examining Stress in Hospitalized Patients

The researchers conducted their study at the University Hospital of Essen in Germany. They included 60 patients who were admitted to the hospital with suspected COVID-19 between March 8 and May 26. These patients had an average age of 59 years, and about half of them were men.

What makes this study particularly interesting is that when patients filled out the questionnaires about their stress levels, neither they nor their doctors knew yet whether they actually had COVID-19 or not. This setup, called a double-blind design, helps ensure that the results aren’t influenced by knowing the diagnosis.

Measuring Stress and Post-Traumatic Stress

To assess the patients’ mental state, the researchers used two main tools:

1. The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5): This questionnaire helps identify symptoms of post-traumatic stress.

2. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) stress module: This tool measures general stress levels.

Key Findings: High Levels of Stress and Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms

The study revealed some important findings about stress levels in these hospitalized patients:

1. High prevalence of post-traumatic stress symptoms: About 38% of all patients in the study showed significant post-traumatic stress symptoms. This rate is much higher than what’s typically seen in the general population or even in emergency service workers after major incidents like terrorist attacks.

2. Even higher rates in COVID-19 patients: Among those who were later confirmed to have COVID-19, the rate of significant post-traumatic stress symptoms was even higher, at about 42%.

3. General stress levels: Patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 showed significantly higher levels of general stress compared to those who tested negative for the virus.

Why Are These Findings Important?

These results highlight the significant psychological impact that being hospitalized with suspected COVID-19 can have on patients. The high levels of stress and post-traumatic stress symptoms observed in this study suggest that healthcare providers should be aware of the potential mental health consequences for these patients.

It’s particularly noteworthy that patients who actually had COVID-19 experienced higher levels of general stress. This could be due to the physical effects of the virus itself, or it might be related to the psychological impact of receiving a positive diagnosis.

Factors Contributing to High Stress Levels

Several factors might contribute to the high stress levels observed in this study:

1. Uncertainty: Not knowing whether one has COVID-19 can be very stressful, especially for high-risk patients.

2. Fear of severe illness: Many patients in this study had other health conditions that could make COVID-19 more dangerous for them.

3. Isolation: Being in the hospital, potentially isolated from loved ones, can be a stressful experience.

4. Media coverage: The constant news about COVID-19 might increase anxiety and stress for patients.

Implications for Healthcare

The findings of this study have important implications for how we care for hospitalized patients, especially during pandemics:

1. Mental health screening: The researchers suggest that routine screening for mental health issues could be beneficial for high-risk patients in hospitals.

2. Early intervention: Identifying patients with high stress levels early on could allow for timely mental health support.

3. Holistic care: These results remind us of the importance of addressing both the physical and mental health needs of hospitalized patients.

Limitations and Future Research

While this study provides valuable insights, it’s important to note some limitations:

1. Small sample size: The study included only 60 patients, which is relatively small.

2. Single hospital: All patients were from one hospital in Germany, so the results might not apply everywhere.

3. Short-term focus: The study looked at stress levels during hospitalization but didn’t follow up with patients later to see how their stress levels changed over time.

Future research could address these limitations by including more patients from different hospitals and countries, and by following patients over a longer period to see how their stress levels change after leaving the hospital.

Conclusions

• Hospitalized patients with suspected COVID-19 experience high levels of stress and post-traumatic stress symptoms.
• Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 show higher levels of general stress compared to those without the virus.
• Healthcare providers should be aware of the potential mental health impacts of hospitalization for COVID-19 and consider implementing routine mental health screening for these patients.

This study highlights the importance of addressing mental health alongside physical health in hospital settings, especially during pandemics. By understanding and addressing the psychological impact of hospitalization and illness, we can provide more comprehensive care to patients and potentially improve their overall outcomes.