BACKGROUND: COVID-19 pandemic affected adversely public mental health. We assessed the current mental illness in hospitalised patients. INTRODUCTION: The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spread all over the world since its emergence in late December 2019in China. WHO declared it pandemic on 11 March 2020. People with positive covid rtPCR test or exposed to covid-19 patients were isolated and hospitalised till the two consecutive negative rtPCR report. This causes depression, anxiety, sleep disorder, suicidal tendency and other psychotic symptoms as reported in some recent epidemiological studies1,2,3. This study investigated the effect of pandemic on mental health issues in COVID-19 positive/suspected patients hospitalised in F.H. Medical College and Hospital during COVID -19 pandemic. AIM: To study Anxiety and Depressive symptoms in hospitalised patients during outbreak of COVID -19 pandemic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted during first wave of COVID 19 pandemic from 28 March 2020 to 31 March 2021. We assessed the variables on current mental illness and completed two standardized questionnaires: Generalised Anxiety Disoeder-7 (GAD-7) and Patient Health questionnaire-7 (PHQ-7). A total of 1050 patients were studied with age ranging from 18 years to 76 years with mean age of 28+/-8 years. All data were analysed using IBM, SPSS statistics and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULT: Our study showed higher level of Anxiety and Depression in young patients as compared to older patients. Economic recession and negative message on social media further translated in the form of Anxiety and Depression. CONCLUSION: COVID -19 pandemic, subsequent nationwide lockdown, mandatory quarantine measures taken by government and negative media coverage have created fear among public against COVID-19. This was probable reason for affecting the mental health wellbeing of hospitalised patients.
Impact Factor
2022: 6.012
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