This photo shows medical workers moving a confirmed patient of the new coronavirus to the Kyungpook National University Hospital in Daegu, 302 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Aug. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — A recent study has revealed that 1 in 4 asymptomatic or mild coronavirus patients quarantined at residential treatment centers are suffering from depressive symptoms.
A research team from Seoul National University Hospital conducted a study on the psychological health of 107 COVID-19 patients quarantined at a residential treatment center near the city of Daegu to arrive at their conclusions.
The research team used various tools to assess levels of depression and anxiety, such as PHQ-9 and GAD-7, revealing that 24.3 percent of patients were struggling from severe levels of depressive symptoms in the first week of quarantine.
Another 17.8 percent showed mid-level severity in depressive symptoms, nearing diagnosis for depression, while 6.5 percent showed high-level severity, which requires immediate diagnosis and treatment.
The survey also revealed that 14.9 percent of patients showed mid-level anxiety or higher, and 5.6 percent were suspected to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Primary factors leading up to depressive symptoms and anxiety largely depended on the patient’s prior mental health, and the level of concern they had towards the stereotypes against COVID-19 infections and social stigmatization.
“The patient’s mental health record as well as fear of social stigmatization are primary factors that incite depression and anxiety,” said Prof. Sohn Ji-hoon, who led the study.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
