AUTHOR=Nooraeen Sara , Bazargan-Hejazi Shahrzad , Naserbakht Morteza , Vahidi Camelia , Shojaerad Farideh , Mousavi Seyedeh Sahar , Malakouti Seyed Kazem 

TITLE=Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on relapse of individuals with severe mental illness and their caregiver's burden

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1086905

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2023.1086905

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=Background: The implementation of quarantine and social distancing measures to control the
COVID-19 pandemic led to restrictions at the community level and most of in-person psychiatric
services were discontinued. This situation could affect the psychopathology of the patients and
the burden of their caregivers. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of COVID-19
pandemic on people with severe mental illnesses (SMIs) and their caregivers’ burden.
Method: The study sample consisted of 86 patients with severe mental illness and 86 caregivers.
The mental status, relapse rate, and rehospitalization rate of the patients and the general health
status and burden of caregivers were investigated in three waves, including before and three and
six months after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Results: The relapse rate of the patients was 14%, 33.7%, and 43% (p-value=0.000) and the
rehospitalization rate was 4.7%, 7%, and 10.5% in waves 0, 1, and 2, respectively (pvalue=0.000). Most of the psychopathological scales increased in three waves (p-value=0.000).
The caregivers’ burden and health condition worsened during the nine months of the study as
well (p-value=0.000).
Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic led to exacerbation of symptoms and increased the
relapse rate in people with SMIs. It also worsened the caregivers’ condition. People with severe
mental illnesses (SMIs) and their caregivers are one of the most vulnerable groups on which the
COVID-19 pandemic had a marked negative effect.