Psychological status of asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients hospitalized for COVID-19

Context: The pandemic of COVID-19, with its high rates of infectivity, unpredictable nature, and measures taken to deal with it such as extended periods of lockdown, has had an adverse impact on the psychological status of individuals affected by it directly or indirectly. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report from India on the psychological status of COVID-19-positive individuals. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological status of persons tested positive for COVID-19. Setting and Design: This was a case–control study in a tertiary care hospital setting at Mumbai. Materials and Methods: A total of 104 individuals detected to have positive COVID-19 status and admitted to the hospital from May 1, 2020 to May 30, 2020, were compared with 106 age- and gender-matched controls from the general population for the psychological impact of COVID-19 as measured by Perceived Stress Scale-10, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 Questionnaire, Insomnia Severity Index, and World Health Organization Well-Being Index-5. Statistical Analysis Used: Group comparisons on nominal variables were analyzed by Chi-square test. P < 0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Results: About 58.6% from COVID-19-positive group and 76.4% from control group reported moderate-to-high perceived stress. Moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms were reported in 6.7% versus 15%, moderate-to-severe anxiety symptoms in 1.9% versus 14.1%, clinical insomnia in 3.8% versus 14.1%, and poor quality of well-being in 22.1% versus 35.8%, in cases versus controls, respectively. Control group reported significantly higher levels of perceived stress (P = 0.020), depressive symptoms (P = 0.021), anxiety symptoms (P = 0.013), insomnia severity (P = 0.045), and poorer well-being index (P = 0.018) compared to COVID-19-positive group. Conclusions: Despite limitations, study findings, if replicated, highlight the urgent need for incorporating psychological screening and interventions into protocols for dealing with ongoing COVID-19 pandemic not only for infected individuals but also for the community as a whole.