Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Trajectories the Year after COVID-19 Hospitalization

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) hospitalization has been related to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Available information is limited by insufficient follow-up and lack of longitudinal studies. Baseline factors (e.g., sex; obesity) have been related to PTSD, but post-hospitalization...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	International journal of environmental research and public health 2022-07, Vol.19 (14), p.8452
Main Authors:	Serra, Riccardo, Borrazzo, Cristian, Vassalini, Paolo, Di Nicolantonio, Chiara, Koukopoulos, Alexia E, Tosato, Cecilia, Cherubini, Flavio, Alessandri, Francesco, Ceccarelli, Giancarlo, Mastroianni, Claudio Maria, D'Ettorre, Gabriella, Tarsitani, Lorenzo
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Aftercare Coronaviruses COVID-19 COVID-19 - epidemiology Gender Hospitalization Humans Infectious diseases Longitudinal studies Lung diseases Male Mental disorders Obesity Patient Discharge Patients Post traumatic stress disorder Posttraumatic stress disorder Psychological factors Psychological stress Signs and symptoms Social interactions Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology Viral diseases
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Summary:	Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) hospitalization has been related to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Available information is limited by insufficient follow-up and lack of longitudinal studies. Baseline factors (e.g., sex; obesity) have been related to PTSD, but post-hospitalization factors have not been studied. Objective: This study aimed to analyse prevalence, baseline, post-discharge factors and possible clinical courses of PTSD after hospitalization for COVID-19. Method: 109 patients (94.7% of the original sample) completed a programme of three follow-up telephone assessments during the year following hospitalization. Data included clinical and sociodemographic factors as well as psychometric tools assessing PTSD, social support, and perception of threat to life (PTL). Mixture model analysis was performed to study the longitudinal course of PTSD symptoms. Chronic (>6 months) PTSD predictors were also analysed. Results: 1-year PTSD period prevalence was 23.9%, peaking at six months; 11% of the patients suffered chronic PTSD. Pre- and post-hospitalization factors influenced the onset and course of PTSD over time. These included working status, PTL, and lack of social support. Interestingly, obesity, pulmonary diseases and family cluster infection seem specifically related to PTSD following COVID-19. Inversely, clinical interventions, older age and male gender were protective. Conclusions: PTSD following COVID-19 hospitalization is common. The analysed demographic, social, clinical, and psychological factors predict PTSD symptomatology over time and can modify odds of a chronic course. Clinicians could better identify cases at risk of a chronic PTSD course. Finally, treatment as usual appeared related to a better outcome and should be proposed to patients with PTSD.
ISSN:	1660-4601 1661-7827 1660-4601