Effect of Infection on Mental Health in COVID-19 Positive Cases and its Relationship with Clinical Variables.

Background: While global attention has focused largely on the effects of the coronavirus on physical health, the effects of the coronavirus on mental health cannot be ignored. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effects of COVID-19 disease on mental health and its relationship with other clinical variables.

Methods: In this study, adult patients over 18 years of age who were diagnosed with COVID 19 by real time-polymerized chain reaction (RT-PCR) method in our city were included. By using some psychological scales, psychological influence was determined in the study subjects.

Results: DASS-21 anxiety and total scores were higher in female patients than males. COVID-19 Fear Scale, DASS-21 anxiety, depression, and total scores were higher in married patients than single ones. Patients living in rural areas had higher Fear of COVID-19 scale, DASS-21, depression, and total scores and lower Life Satisfaction Scale scores compared to those living in city centers. Patients with any chronic illness and psychiatric disorder had higher COVID-19 Fear Scale, DASS-21 anxiety, and total scores. The presence of respiratory symptoms and positive CT pneumonia were closely associated with higher scale scores.

Conclusions: We suggest that the COVID-19 outbreak seems to also affect patients psychologically. This influence is more in COVID-19 positive patients who were females, married, those living in rural areas, ones with chronic medical or psychiatric disorder, and ones with respiratory symptoms and positive CT findings. Future studies with face-to-face interviews are required to prove this observation further.