Citation

Huong PTT, Wu CY, Lee MB, Hung WC, Chen IM, Chen HC. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022; 19(6): e3738.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/ijerph19063738

PMID

35329424

PMCID

PMC8950889

Abstract

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 outbreak, patients with mental disorders have faced more negative psychological consequences than the public. For people with treatment-resistant depression (TRD), it is unclear whether research engagement would protect them from the deterioration of their symptoms. The study aimed to examine if chronic depressive patients would have improved resilience and mental distress levels after follow-up interviews during an observation period under COVID-19.

METHODS: The study was nested within a three-year prospective cohort study. A two-group comparison design was conducted, i.e., the follow-up group with regular research interviews every three months after baseline assessment and the control group with one assessment-only interview. The two groups were compared with demographics, psychosocial, and suicide information.

RESULTS: Baseline assessments were not significantly different in sociodemographic variables, suicide risks, mental distress, and resilience between groups. Significant differences were detected in resilient coping and mental distress levels (p < 0.05). The follow-up group (n = 46) experienced a higher level of resilient coping (37% vs. 25%) and lower level of mental distress (47.8% vs. 64.7%) than the control group (n = 68).

CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight under universal government strategy against COVID-19, TRD patients receiving regular research follow-ups exhibited better resilience and less mental distress than those without regular support from healthcare providers.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; COVID-19; Depression; Prospective Studies; Follow-Up Studies; Resilience, Psychological; treatment-resistant depression; Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant; follow-up study; Pandemics; mental distress; resilient coping