Evaluation of the Frequency of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in Patients with COVID-19 Admitted to Hospitals in Sari, Iran in 2020

The COVID-19 epidemic has affected people's mental health around the world. According to previous epidemics, an increase in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been seen until one year later.

Due to the importance of psychological issues secondary to COVID-19, in this study, the frequency of PTSD symptoms in the follow-up of patients with COVID-19 who were hospitalized in Sari was evaluated.

In this cross-sectional study, 199 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who were hospitalized in Sari were identified, and patients’ records were recorded. PTSD criteria were assessed based on the PTSD Checklist for DSM 5 (PCL-5). Data were analyzed using SPSS 16.

In the present study, the overall prevalence of PTSD was 19.1% (38 patients). The frequency of PTSD was higher in women, married people, people with children, and those aged 20-44 years. The prevalence of PTSD was higher in 29 patients (38.2%) with higher education.

This study showed that PTSD has a high prevalence in people with a history of COVID-19, and it is necessary for these patients to undergo psychiatric evaluations.