Background: The COVID-19 pandemic as a stressor can harm the community's mental health. Iran is one of the first countries to be severely affected by COVID-19 since February 2020. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the rates of COVID-19-related Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS) and the general mental health burden among the Iranian population during the pandemic and to explore the potential influencing factors. Methods: Through a web-based cross-sectional survey, based on social media, data were collected from self-selected volunteers using a demographic information form, General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28), and Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). Results: Among 1,910 analyzed respondents, the overall prevalence of COVID-19-related PTSS and general mental health burden was 62.4 and 43.6%, respectively. Regarding mental health, the burden was greater in the social and anxiety dimensions than in the physical and depression dimensions. The prevalence of PTSS was higher in women, younger age groups, divorced/widowed individuals, people with a history of psychiatric disorders, and those who had experienced other stressful events in the last year (P-values < 0.05). Multivariable logistic regression showed that a positive history of other stressful events and the GHQ-28 score were the potential influencing factors associated with PTSS (AOR = 2.468 and 6.007, respectively; P-values < 0.001). Conclusions: The study identified a significant mental health burden and PTSS among Iranians during the COVID-19 pandemic. Continuous assessment and monitoring of the psychological consequences of pandemics should be considered in Iran and other countries.
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with a number of psychiatric problems in patients; however, mental healthcare in these patients does not appear to be adequate. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the extent of psychological care provided to COVID-19 patients admitted to the hospital and the most common reasons for psychiatric counseling. Methods: This study examined the electronic medical records of all COVID-19-positive patients admitted to Rasoul-e-Akram hospital in Tehran, Iran, within April 1 and September 30, 2020 (approximately 2200 cases). Results: Psychiatric consultation was requested for 5.45% of admitted patients with COVID-19 diagnosis based on a positive real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. More than half of those who received psychiatric counseling had a previous psychiatric disorder. The most common reason for requesting psychiatric counseling in patients with a previous psychiatric disorder was the patient’s evaluation and management; the most common reason in patients without a psychiatric disorder was agitation and lack of cooperation. The most common diagnosis in patients with a positive history of psychiatric disorder was bipolar disorders (33.9%), followed by opioid use disorder (29%). Adjustment disorder (54%) and delirium (26%) were the most common diagnoses in patients without a history of psychiatric disease. Conclusions: The current study showed that psychiatric counseling in COVID-19 patients was limited to a small number, including those with a positive history of psychiatric illnesses and prominent psychiatric symptoms.
Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a threatening and potentially traumatic event, causing psychological problems among communities. So far, few studies have evaluated the long-term psychological impact of COVID-19 on mental health. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the frequency of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among people living in Kurdistan province, Iran, more than two years after the beginning of the pandemic, and to determine factors related to adverse mental outcomes. Methods: Using the convenience sampling method, a web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted from 21 March to 21 May 2022. A total of 2,705 respondents completed the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and 2,669 cases were included in the study. We used the multivariable logistic regression analysis to detect factors associated with PTSD. Results: The mean age of the participants was 34.98 ± 10.84 years, and the overall prevalence of PTSD was 38.9%. The potential factors associated with PTSD included younger age, the history of isolation, previous psychiatric disorders, and loss of relatives or friends due to COVID-19 (P < 0.05). Conclusions: According to our results, the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative effect on the mental health of a relatively high percentage of the general population in Kurdistan, Iran. Given the possible long-term mental health effects of the outbreak of acute infectious diseases, planning to improve mental health in vulnerable groups should be considered for the post-COVID-19 era.
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