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AnxietyCoronavirusDepressionMental health conditionsOH service delivery

A third receive mental health diagnosis after Covid-19

by Ashleigh Webber 12 Apr 2021
by Ashleigh Webber 12 Apr 2021 Alexandros Michailidis / Shutterstock.com
Alexandros Michailidis / Shutterstock.com

One in three Covid-19 patients have received a brain or psychiatric disorder diagnosis within six months of contracting the virus, a study has found, prompting renewed fears of a wave of mental ill-health diagnoses as we emerge from the pandemic.

Mental health after Covid

Third of Covid-19 patients put on ventilator experience PTSD

The role of OH in reducing the mental trauma of Covid-19

According to the Oxford University-led study of more than 230,000 mostly US-based coronavirus patients, anxiety (17%) and depression (14%) were the most prevalent diagnoses of mental health disorders after Covid-19.

There was also evidence of stroke (7%) and dementia (2%), especially among those who had severe Covid-19 symptoms.

Thirty-four per cent had been diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder within six months of contracting Covid-19, the study, published by the Lancet Psychiatry journal online, found. The likelihood of diagnosis was greater among those that required hospitalisation for Covid-19 symptoms – especially those who had been in intensive care units.

“Although the individual risks for most disorders are small, the effect across the whole population may be substantial,” Paul Harrison, a professor of psychiatry at Oxford University, told Reuters.

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The study concluded that, as Covid-19 is followed by significant rates of neurological and psychiatric diagnoses, health services need to be configured and resourced to deal with this anticipated need.

A separate study by Imperial College London and the University of Southampton, published earlier this year, found that a third of Covid-19 patients who had been put on a ventilator experienced post-traumatic stress disorder.

Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is a former editor of OHW+ and former HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support.

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