Assessment of the Impact of a Daily Rehabilitation Program on Anxiety and Depression Symptoms and the Quality of Life of People with Mental Disorders during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Joanna Smolarczyk-Kosowska, Anna Szczegielniak, Mateusz Legutko, Adam Zaczek, Łukasz Kunert, Magdalena Piegza and Robert Pudlo
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Joanna Smolarczyk-Kosowska: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 42-612 Katowice, Poland
Anna Szczegielniak: Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, 40-635 Katowice, Poland
Mateusz Legutko: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 42-612 Katowice, Poland
Adam Zaczek: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 42-612 Katowice, Poland
Łukasz Kunert: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 42-612 Katowice, Poland
Magdalena Piegza: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 42-612 Katowice, Poland
Robert Pudlo: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 42-612 Katowice, Poland

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 4, 1-11

Abstract: Community psychiatry is a modern and effective form of care for patients with mental disorders. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of a rehabilitation program at the Mental Health Support Centre in Tarnowskie Góry (Poland) on reducing severity of anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as improving overall quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved 35 patients, examined with an authors’ questionnaire on sociodemographic data, the Hospital Scale of Anxiety and Depression (HADS) and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Data was obtained during the first national lockdown and compared to data gathered before the pandemic on the same study group. Imposed restrictions, negative emotional state during lockdown, subjectively assessed higher health risk and a low level of knowledge about the COVID-19 pandemic did not significantly correlate with a severity of depression and anxiety, as well as general quality of life. However, the comparison of the results obtained in HADS and SF-36 scales show a significant improvement in both categories. Rehabilitation activities, including physical training, cognitive exercise and social therapy, reduce the severity of the symptoms and have a positive effect on the overall quality of life in patients suffering from schizophrenia and affective disorders. Therefore, holistic mental health support services may positively affect building an individual resilience. The severity of anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic shows a negative correlation with the patient’s age.

Keywords: COVID-19; community psychiatry; psychiatric rehabilitation; anxiety; depression; quality of life (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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