Two Years of COVID-19 Pandemic: What Psychological Impact in Primary Ciliary Diskinesia? A Prospective Study of an Italian Center

Abstract

Pre-existing chronic disease consisted of a highly vulnerable condition during the COVID-19 outbreak. The aim of this prospective longitudinal study is to investigate the long-term impact on psychological well-being of a cohort of PCD patients from an Italian center compared to healthy subjects. The Psychological General Well-Being Index and Parenting Stress Index-Short questionnaires were filled out by PCD patients and their parents, respectively, in May 2021 and in May 2022. The percentages of PCD patients and their parents showed not significant difference in the different categories of distress level compared to healthy controls. The psychological well-being and parental stress of PCD population did not get worse during two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, unlike healthy subjects. The impairment expressed in areas of 'depression', 'self-control', 'general health' and vitality' was higher in the control group than in PCD patients, one year after the onset of COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic did not have a negative impact on psychological well-being of PCD patients and their parents. These data could be explained by the constant elevated psychological distress with the ability to employ strategies to cope the stressful conditions, together an early vaccination campaign in PCD population.