Evaluation of depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress response levels of children and adolescents treated with COVID-19.
Eur J Pediatr 2023;
182:567-574. [PMID:
36383286 PMCID:
PMC9666990 DOI:
10.1007/s00431-022-04713-3]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED
We aimed to evaluate stress level reactions to depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress in paediatric patients' post-COVID-19 infection. A total of two hundred consecutive patients aged 8 to 18 years were prospectively enrolled in the study between March 2020 and June 2021. One hundred patients were diagnosed with a positive COVID-PCR test and had inpatient management. Another hundred patients had positive COVID-PCR results and completed their care and isolation for 14 days at home. We used the child posttraumatic stress reaction index (CPTS-RI), child depression inventory (CDI), and screen for child anxiety-related disorders (SCARED) to evaluate their post-COVID-19 infection mental health state. In the study population, the mean age was 13.4 years, and 50.5% were male. Sixty-seven patients were paediatric, and the rest were adolescents. Based on our scaling system, 10% of patients had depression. Forty-one percent of patients had at least one high subscale of SCARED. Forty-four percent of patients' CPTS-RI was above the normal limit, while 4% had a severe stress reaction level. In the female patient population, SCARED and CPTS-RI were significantly high (p = 0.01). There was no significant correlation between hospitalization duration and test scores. The CPTS-RI score was significantly higher in the outpatient group than in the other groups (p = 0.01). The inpatient group had significantly higher social phobia, while the outpatient group had significantly higher school phobia (p = 0.01 and p = 0.05, respectively).
CONCLUSION
The present study showed that COVID-19 infection is a significant risk factor for psychopathology in children and adolescents.
WHAT IS KNOWN
• COVID-19 causes multiple physical complications in the body along with significant harmful physiologic mental health effects. After being diagnosed with COVID-19, paediatric and adolescent patients have been engaging in social isolation. • Shutdowns, school closings, minimizing social interaction, and isolating behaviour are some of the measures used to control the pandemic. For kids to develop into healthy individuals, they need social interaction and a safe environment.
WHAT IS NEW
• The present study showed that COVID-19 infection is a significant risk factor for childhood and adolescent psychopathology. Based on our scaling system, 10% of patients had depression. Forty-four percent of patients' CPTS-RI was above the normal limit, while 4% had a severe stress reaction level. In the female patient population, SCARED and CPTS-RI were significantly high. • These patients need to be evaluated and monitored by paediatric and adolescent psychiatry clinics simultaneously with paediatric clinics.
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