COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine-related health disorders in combatants of Ukraine

Abstract

Here we expand the existing knowledge about disorders associated with the COVID-19-related pandemic and quarantine. We show that the COVID-19-related pandemic and quarantine can reduce the combat effectiveness of the military, provoking a deterioration in the health of combatants and requires hospitalization. Aim. Investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine on the health of Ukrainian combatants. Material and methods. A study was conducted between March 12, 2020 and May 22, 2020 at the Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, General and Medical Psychology, Narcology, and Sexology in Zaporizhzhia State Medical University and Zaporizhzhia military hospital (Ukraine). All combatants who were hospitalized during this period were examined. We analyzed medical records, anamnestic data, and performed psychopathological and psychological examinations of all patients. Results. In 56 % of combatants hospitalized during high quarantine measures, the cause of health disorders is negative COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine-related thoughts that provoke stress. These stressful thoughts associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine provoke the development of hypertensive emergency (57 % vs 18 %), anxiety syndrome (29 %), dissociative [conversion] disorder (7 %), and exacerbate the negative effects of pre-pandemic diseases, namely, hypertension (43 % vs 27 %), somatoform autonomic dysfunction of the cardiovascular system (29 %), panic disorder [episodic paroxysmal anxiety] (7 %), adjustment disorders (7 %), post-traumatic stress disorder (7 %). Conclusions. Preventive measures need to be developed and applied to combatants to prevent their deteriorating health due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine stress.

Keywords

• covid-19
• pandemic
• quarantine
• health disorders
• military personnel