Psychological Impact among COVID-19 Positive Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) outbreak is one of the biggest medical challenges to humankind in recent times, started from China in December 2019, and had spread to almost all the countries of the world. The social, psychological and economic fissures exposed by the pandemic resulted in mass disruption in human behaviour population. This is pushing them towards more stress. Aim: To analyse the anxiety and depressive symptoms in COVID-19 positive patients. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 325 COVID positive patients who were admitted in isolation ward in Tertiary Care Centre and were enrolled in this study, out of which 18 subjects refused to give the consent and 5 were already taking psychiatric medications and were excluded. Telephonic contact was not established with rest of the 5 patients. After ethical clearance, the anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed by using Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D). Results: Maximum patients belonged to age group of 21-40 years (54.9%). Maximum patients were males (70%). Almost 3/4th of the population 64% had depressive symptoms of different severity and 61% had anxiety symptoms. Significant association of anxiety symptoms was seen with gender (p=0.001) and marital status (p=0.002). No association with depressive symptoms was seen with gender (p=0.087) and marital status (p=0.399). Conclusion: COVID-19 had significant impact on the patients. More than half of the population had showed the psychological issues in the form of anxiety and depression. Males and married patients were affected more with both anxiety and depressive symptoms.

Keywords

• anxiety
• coronavirus disease
• depression
• lockdown