Psychological distress in the face of a pandemic: An observational study characterizing the impact of COVID-19 on immigrant outpatient mental health

PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH

卷:295

Article

Serafini, Randal A.^1,2,4,5  Powell, Samuel K.^1,2,4,5  Frere, Justin J.^1,2,6  Saali, Alexandra^1,2  Krystal, Hannah L.^1,2  Kumar, Vedika^1,2  Yashaswini, Chittampalli^1,2  Hernandez, Josimar^1,2  Moody, Kate^1,2  Aronson, Anne^1,2  Meah, Yasmin^1,2,7,8  Katz, Craig L.^1,2,3 

[1] Icahn Sch Med Mt Sinai, East Harlem Hlth Outreach Partnership, 17 E 102nd St, New York, NY 10029 USA

[2] Icahn Sch Med Mt Sinai, Dept Med Educ, One Gustave L Levy Pl,Box 1002, New York, NY 10029 USA

[3] Icahn Sch Med Mt Sinai, Dept Psychiat, One Gustave L Levy Pl,Box 1230, New York, NY 10029 USA

[4] Icahn Sch Med Mt Sinai, Nash Dept Neurosci, One Gustave L Levy Pl,Box 1022, New York, NY 10029 USA

[5] Icahn Sch Med Mt Sinai, Friedman Brain Inst, One Gustave L Levy Pl,Box 1022, New York, NY 10029 USA

[6] Icahn Sch Med Mt Sinai, Dept Microbiol, One Gustave L Levy Pl,Box 1124, New York, NY 10029 USA

[7] Icahn Sch Med Mt Sinai, Dept Med, One Gustave L Levy Pl,Box 1118, New York, NY 10029 USA

[8] Icahn Sch Med Mt Sinai, Dept Geriatr & Palliat Med, One Gustave L Levy Pl,Box 1070, New York, NY 10029 USA

关键词: COVID-19;    Mental health;    Telepsychiatry;    Vulnerable populations;    Anxiety;    Depression;    Distress;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113595

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Undocumented immigrants have disproportionately suffered during the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19) pandemic due to factors including limited medical access and financial insecurity, which can exacerbate pandemic-associated distress. Psychological outcomes for immigrant outpatients were assessed after transition to telepsychiatry in March 2020. Mental health was assessed with Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-2) inventories, a novel coronavirus-specific survey, and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10+). Feedback on telepsychiatry sessions and access to non-clinical resources were also gathered, after which multivariable linear regression modeling identified psychosocial factors underlying changes in distress levels. 48.57% and 45.71% of participants reported worsened anxiety and depression levels due to the pandemic, respectively. From March to April, PHQ-2 and GAD-2 scores significantly increased by 0.81 and 0.63 points, respectively. The average total psychological distress score was 23.8, with 60% of scores reflecting serious mental illness. Factors that most influenced K10+ scores included a pre-existing depressive disorder, food insecurity, and comfort during telepsychiatry visits. 93.75% of participants believed access to remote psychiatry helped their mental health during COVID-19. The negative impact of COVID-19 on mental health in vulnerable populations stems from medical and psychosocial factors such as pre-existing psychiatric conditions and unmet essential needs.

【 授权许可】

Free