Mental health of COVID-19 recovered individuals: A national study from Jordan
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Sawsan Abuhammad 1 * , Omar F Khabour 2 , Karem H Alzoubi 3 4 , Shaher Hamaideh 5 , Basheer Y Khassawneh 6 , Baha F Alsmadi 6 , Abdelrahman M Ababneh 6 , Safa Alqudah 7
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1 Department of Maternal and Child Health, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, JORDAN2 Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, JORDAN3 Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacotherapeutics, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE4 Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, JORDAN5 Department of Community and Mental Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, JORDAN6 Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, JORDAN7 Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, JORDAN* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the relationship between COVID-19 infection and subsequent long-term mental consequences among patients recovering from the disease.
Methods: A cross-sectional and survey-based study was conducted in Jordan using Google Forms during the period from March to July of 2022. The requirement to participate was that individuals be at least 18 years old and have at least one symptomatic COVID-19 infection. A total of 2,055 subjects recruited in the study. Mental health was assessed using mental health inventory-38 (MHI-38).
Results: Females represent 64.8% (n=1,182) of the sample. The mean age of the participants was 39.9±14.4 years. Subjects who recovered from COVID-19 scored slightly higher than moderate on different scales of MHI-38. These include anxiety, depression, loss of behavioral and emotional control, general positive affect, emotional ties, and life-satisfactions. The prevalence of depression among participants was 46.3% (n=952). The prevalence of anxiety among participants was 45.8% (n=942). The prevalence of loss of physical and emotional control was 47.2% (n=970). Multiple regression showed that employment status, tobacco use, and severe COVID-19 infection were associated with mental illness. Not working, using tobacco, and having severe COVID-19 infection were more likely to develop mental illness (p<0.01).
Conclusion: Individuals who recover from COVID-19 are susceptible to developing mental illnesses. Factors associated with such susceptibility include employment status, tobacco use and severity of infection. The current findings can be used in mental health interventions targeting individuals who recovered from COVID-19.

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Original Article

ELECTRON J GEN MED, Volume 20, Issue 2, April 2023, Article No: em451

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejgm/12833

Publication date: 01 Mar 2023

Online publication date: 14 Jan 2023

Article Views: 1197

Article Downloads: 1069

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