Background: The current COVID-19 pandemic is affecting mental health of global population and, particularly, of people suffering from preexisting mental disorders.

Aims: This study aims to report on findings from a phone-based clinical follow-up conducted in two large catchment areas in Italy and Paraguay, during the COVID-19 lockdown, in order to provide psychiatric assessments and measure the level of stress related to the quarantine in a large sample of psychiatric outpatients.

Methods: A clinical phone-based follow-up has been conducted in two large catchment areas in the province of Chieti (Vasto, Italy) and City of Asunción (Paraguay), during the COVID-19 national lockdown. The following rating scales have been employed: Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A); Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D); 18-items Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS-18). The psychological distress related to the outbreak has been assessed employing the Impact of Event Scale - Revised (IES-R).

Results: A total of 110 outpatients were consecutively included and followed among those reporting a stable phase of illness before the COVID-19 lockdown. Findings confirmed a significant increase of general psychopathology, anxiety and fear as well as mild levels of stress related to the quarantine. Also, significant weight gain during the lockdown was detected among patients.

Conclusions: This study confirmed the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on mental health of people suffering from psychiatric disorders and may also add evidence on the employment of digital psychiatry in the current pandemic.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7726626PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0020764020979732DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

mental health
12
covid-19 lockdown
12
rating scale
12
people suffering
8
follow-up conducted
8
conducted large
8
large catchment
8
catchment areas
8
paraguay covid-19
8
stress quarantine
8

Similar Publications

Objective: This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the Adult Self-Report Scale-5 (the ASRS-5-AR) within a large sample of adults residing in Saudi Arabia.

Methods: This cross-sectional study applied the ASRS-5-AR to a random sample of 4,299 Saudi and non-Saudi adults, aged 19 to 66 years (31.16 ± 9.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Despite valuing occupation, occupational therapists report barriers to enacting occupation-based practice. One barrier noted in the literature is hegemony, the dominance of one social group's ideas over others. Specifically, biomedical and business models dominating healthcare are reported to significantly impact occupational therapists.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Heavy drinking is a major public health concern, particularly among young adults who often experience fear of being stigmatized when seeking help for alcohol-related problems. To address drinking concerns outside clinical settings, we tested the feasibility of a novel imagery-based behavior change strategy led by student lay interventionists in a college setting. Participants were adults recruited on a college campus and were randomized to either learn the four steps of WOOP (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, and Plan) or to learn a format-matched Sham WOOP (Wish, Outcome, "Outcome," and Plan).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The authors of this research explored community perspectives on women's mental health in rural Pakistan, using a qualitative approach to identify beliefs hindering women's access to mental healthcare. Data were collected through 15 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and 15 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with stakeholders in Gilgit-Baltistan, using purposive sampling. The researchers revealed low community awareness of mental health and a lack of diagnostic and treatment services for women.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: This study aims to explore the impact of physical exercise on feelings of inferiority among college students, focusing on the mediating roles of social support and emotional regulation ability. The research investigates both direct and indirect pathways to understand how physical exercise enhances psychological resilience and mitigates negative self-perceptions.

Methods: A sample of 2,036 college students from 15 provinces in China was surveyed using validated scales for physical exercise, feelings of inferiority, social support, and emotional regulation ability.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!