Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, Anxiety, and Depression Among COVID-19 Survivors After Discharge from Hospital

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic can lead to psychological issues; however, few studies have evaluated the mental health status of COVID-19 patients after discharge from the hospital.

This study aimed to assess the psychological status of COVID-19 survivors and determine the risk factors associated with adverse psychological outcomes.

Through a web-based cross-sectional survey, the data were collected from 158 COVID-19 survivors one month after discharge from the hospital using demographic information, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for the Fifth Edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (PCL-5). Data analysis was conducted in SPSS software (version 24) using logistic regression modeling.

The mean age of the participants was 42.02 ± 10.56 years, and the majority of patients were male (58.2%) and married (79.1%). According to the HADS, 32 (20.3%) and 21 (13.3%) patients had anxiety and depression, respectively. Using the PCL-5, 45 (28.5%) patients experienced posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after discharge from the hospital. A positive history of psychiatric disorders, substance abuse, and smoking were the related risk factors for depression, anxiety, and PTSD (P < 0.05).

Based on the results, it might be concluded that COVID-19 survivors, especially the aforementioned groups, need more targeted interventions regarding psychological health during and after discharge to avoid COVID-19-related psychiatric injuries.