A recent study conducted by researchers from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has found that individuals who have survived COVID-19 are at an increased risk of mental health issues in the first year following their illness. The study used health data from over 150,000 veterans who had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 between March 2020 and January 2021, and found an overall increased risk of developing any mental health issue in the year following COVID-19. The study also found that the risk was evident even among those who were not admitted to the hospital during the acute phase of COVID-19.
The research team analyzed the health data of 153,848 veterans who had survived 30 days or more after receiving a positive PCR test result for COVID-19. The team followed their health until November 2021, collecting data from two control groups: 5,637,840 veterans who had not contracted SARS-CoV-2 during the same period, and 5,859,251 individuals who used the Veterans Health Administration before the pandemic. The researchers found that the overall risk of developing any mental health issue increased to 64.38 additional cases per 1,000 people after one year.
According to the study, the risk of developing anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, stress and adjustment disorders, and sleep disorders increased in the year following COVID-19. The study also found an increased risk of neurocognitive decline and substance use disorders, including opioid use disorders. Additionally, the use of antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and opioid prescriptions increased among COVID-19 survivors.
Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, the senior investigator of the study and chief of research and development service at the VA Saint Louis Health Care System, noted that the evidence on long COVID suggests the need to reframe thinking about SARS-CoV-2, as it is not just a respiratory virus, but a systemic virus that may provoke damage and clinical consequences in nearly every organ system, including mental health disorders and neurocognitive decline.
Dr. Noortje Uphoff, a research fellow at the University of York and the lead author of a related review, noted that the study's strengths were its inclusion of a large number of patients and its use of medical records of diagnoses and prescriptions rather than self-reported symptoms. However, Dr. Uphoff also cautioned that the study's sample was not representative of populations across the world, as the participants were mostly white, retired veterans with access to healthcare.
Dr. Maura Boldrini, the lead author of an article on the topic and a psychiatrist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City, commented that the study shed light on the prevalence of symptoms that reflect brain involvement in post-COVID patients, but that their pathogenesis remains unknown.
In conclusion, the study highlights the importance of considering the long-term effects of COVID-19 on mental health and the need for continued research into the pathogenesis of mental health issues following COVID-19. The study also emphasizes the importance of providing mental health support to COVID-19 survivors to mitigate the increased risk of developing mental health issues.
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