AUTHOR=Huang Xin , Liu Lin , Eli Buzohre , Wang Jingyi , Chen Yaru , Liu Zhengkui 

TITLE=Mental Health of COVID-19 Survivors at 6 and 12 Months Postdiagnosis: A Cohort Study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychiatry

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.863698

DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2022.863698

ISSN=1664-0640

ABSTRACT=Objective: As COVID-19 persists around the world, it is necessary to explore the long-term mental health effects in COVID-19 survivors. In this study, we investigated the mental health outcomes of survivors of COVID-19 at 6 and 12 months postdiagnosis.
Methods: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PCL-5), depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), resilience (CD-RISC-10), perceived social support (PSSS), personality traits (CBF-PI-15) and sociodemographic information were examined among 511 survivors of COVID-19 (48.1%, females; Mage = 56.23 years at first assessment) at 6 and 12 months postdiagnosis. The data were analyzed with Wilcoxon signed rank tests and multivariable logistic regression models.
Results: The prevalence of anxiety, depression, and PTSD at 6 and 12 months after diagnosis was 13.31% and 6.26%, 20.35% and 11.94%, and 13.11% and 6.07%, respectively. The risk factors for all symptoms were as follows: higher neuroticism; lower openness, extraversion, agreeableness, and resilience; greater life disruptions due to COVID-19; poorer living standards; and increased symptoms of PTSD or depression at 6 months postdiagnosis.
Conclusions: The mental health of COVID-19 survivors improved between 6 and 12 months postdiagnosis. Mental health workers should pay long-term attention to this group, especially to survivors with risk factors.