UK Scientists Say Depression, Anxiety Could Follow In Wake Of COVID-19 Infection - Study

Patients who are admitted to hospital with COVID-19 may experience confusion and delirium and the long-term psychological effects of the disease could lead to anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, UK-based scientists said in The Lancet medical journal

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th May, 2020) Patients who are admitted to hospital with COVID-19 may experience confusion and delirium and the long-term psychological effects of the disease could lead to anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, UK-based scientists said in The Lancet medical journal.

The latest findings were based on a systematic review of studies conducted on patients who had contracted middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV) and COVID-19.

Researchers found that 27.9 percent of those admitted to hospital with MERS or SARS displayed confusion and 32.6 percent showed symptoms of depression. While the majority of those who had contracted either of the diseases displayed no psychological symptoms, 32.

2 percent of respondents showed signs of post-traumatic stress disorder.

"Our main findings are that signs suggestive of delirium are common in the acute stage of SARS, MERS, and COVID-19; there is evidence of depression, anxiety, fatigue, and post-traumatic stress disorder in the post-illness stage of previous coronavirus epidemics, but there are few data yet on COVID-19," researchers wrote.

Those who have become severely ill with COVID-19 may face difficulties returning to work and show signs of persistent fatigue, the researchers said.

Despite these findings, researchers added that a greater volume of work will be required to assess the true impact that COVID-19 is having on the mental health of those who have contracted the disease.