Page 42 - IJSA, Vol. 4, No 1, 2021

International Journal of Science Annals, Vol. 4, No. 1, 2021
рrint ISSN: 2617-2682; online ISSN: 2707-3637; DOI:10.26697/ijsa

rate among exposed HCPs of approximately 39% (range: Health anxiety is the term used by some authors which is
30–52%). Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) a state of mind where certain body functioning
symptoms were assessed in 19 studies, with an average mechanisms can be misinterpreted as symptoms of
rate of approximately 21% (range: 10–33%), of whom infectious pandemic disease. With COVID-19 media
40% reported persistently high PTSD symptoms 3 years coverage, misinformation and exaggerated information
after exposure. Meta-analytic results showed effects were can result in excessive health anxiety not only in COVID
small, (SMD = 0.12, 95% CI = -0.23 to 0.47), but not patients but also among general population. This can
significant. Depression symptoms were measured in 8 result in maladaptive behaviors among masses like
studies, with an average rate of approximately 46% hoarding items, refusing treatments or making multiple
(range: 23–74%), of whom up to 9% reported severe visits to health care facilities etc. (Asmundson & Taylor,
levels. 11% were clinically diagnosed 1 month after the 2020a; 2020b).
disease outbreak. Meta-analytic results showed effects
were moderate (SMD = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.24–0.51) and Conclusions
significant. Anxiety symptoms were assessed in fourteen The present study suggests that there is an increased
studies. The average rate was approximately 45% (range: stress during isolation and quarantine during pandemics.
19–77%). Meta-analytic results showed effects were Patients manage to stay happy and eat well but they talk
small, (SMD = 0.08, 95% CI = -0.09 to 0.25) and not less, have disturbed sleep and do not look forward
significant. In our study 67.7% of the people felt happy towards a hopeful future. Some are able to shake away
and 75% of the people were hopeful about the future. the blues with family, friends on Online Media but a few
One systematic review (Brooks et al., 2018) synthesizing do get depressed and get crying spells and think that their
the social and occupational factors affecting the mental life is a failure. Patients often realize that the disease is
health of HCPs covered the literature up to 2015 and difficult to cure and whatever they do is just an effort and
included 22 studies, all of which had investigated the not a cure. Many patients might benefit if psychological
SARS epidemic. Brooks et al. (2018) identified six counselling and support are employed during quarantine
organizational and four social factors as showing an measures.
influence on mental health outcomes. For this rapid Acknowledgements
review, no further evidence of social and organizational The author acknowledges the management of Saveetha
factors published after 2015 was identified amongst our Medical College and Research Associates in helping out
accepted papers. Below is a brief summary of the with data collection.
organizational and social factors found by Brooks et al.
(2018) and associated data can be found in the study Ethical Approval
(Brooks et al., 2018). Further predictors, beyond The present study was approved by the Institutional
organizational and social factors, may also influence the Human Ethics Committee, Saveetha Medical College
impact of epidemics/pandemics on mental health. and Hospital, Chennai, India (SMCH/07/116/20 from
In another review it was observed that subsyndromal 03.07.2020).
psychological states were common during COVID
pandemic. Anxiety, depression and self-reported stress Funding Source
are some of the commonly reported symptoms This research did not receive any outside funding or
(Rajkumar, 2020). support.
A study from Iran has revealed certain causes of stress References
and mental morbidity during COVID can be resulting Anand, K. B., Karade, S., Sen, S., & Gupta, R. M.
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Lima et al. (2020) have pointed out anxiety and anxiety influences responses to viral outbreaks
depression as the most important COVID related like COVID-19: What all decision-makers,
psychological morbidity among general population and health authorities, and health care professionals
also among patients. This calls for training among health need to know. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 71,
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Resistance to post-traumatic stress reactions of Brooks, S. K., Dunn, R., Amlôt, R., Rubin, G. J., &
vulnerable groups engaged in pandemic COVID-19 Greenberg, N. (2018). A systematic, thematic
liquidation has been studied by Melnyk, Stadnik, and review of social and occupational factors
Pypenko (2020).
associated with psychological outcomes in
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