Kuan-Ling Chen1, Wei-Chieh Hung2, Ming-Been Lee3, I-Ming Chen4, Chia-Yi Wu5. 1. MSc, Research Assistant, School of Nursing, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, and Doctoral Student, Institute of Public Health, National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan, ROC. 2. MSN, RN, NP, Department of Nursing, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, and Doctoral Student, School of Nursing, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taiwan, ROC. 3. MD, Emeritus Professor, Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taiwan, ROC. 4. PhD, MD, Visiting Psychiatrist, Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taiwan, ROC. 5. PhD, RN, Associate Professor, School of Nursing, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, and Adjunct Supervisor, Department of Nursing, National Taiwan University Hospital., Taiwan, ROC. jennycyw@ntu.edu.tw.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disastrous impact globally. For the general public and for people with mental illnesses, this pandemic may cause mental/physical stress and major life impacts. PURPOSE: This study was designed to explore the related changes in daily life and impacts on the well-being of a group of patients with chronic treatment-resistant depression (TRD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This study was a part of a long-term, follow-up study of a cohort of patients with TRD collected in 2018. All of the subjects who were diagnosed with major depression and fit the inclusion criteria were referred by the psychiatrists from two teaching hospitals. Structured interviews were used to collect data on physical and psychological changes during the pandemic period between January and May 2020. The researchers organized the key points by recording or note taking. Thematic analysis was used to summarize and classify themes and units. RESULTS: The 116 respondents revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic affected their health in the biological, psychological, and social dimensions. The three emerging themes included: The threatening of homogeneity in the whole person's health, the interaction between bio-psycho-social aspects, and positive growth of individuals with TRD. Although the participants had confidence in the prevention strategies of the government related to COVID-19, they expressed feelings of distress and restlessness with regard to COVID-19-related news reports. CONCLUSIONS / IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the health of patients with TRD in both positive and negative ways. As the goal of government preventive strategies is to protect and promote public health, regular attention should be paid to the negative effects of long-term exposure to pandemic-related news on this vulnerable population.
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disastrous impact globally. For the general public and for people with mental illnesses, this pandemic may cause mental/physical stress and major life impacts. PURPOSE: This study was designed to explore the related changes in daily life and impacts on the well-being of a group of patients with chronic treatment-resistant depression (TRD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This study was a part of a long-term, follow-up study of a cohort of patients with TRD collected in 2018. All of the subjects who were diagnosed with major depression and fit the inclusion criteria were referred by the psychiatrists from two teaching hospitals. Structured interviews were used to collect data on physical and psychological changes during the pandemic period between January and May 2020. The researchers organized the key points by recording or note taking. Thematic analysis was used to summarize and classify themes and units. RESULTS: The 116 respondents revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic affected their health in the biological, psychological, and social dimensions. The three emerging themes included: The threatening of homogeneity in the whole person's health, the interaction between bio-psycho-social aspects, and positive growth of individuals with TRD. Although the participants had confidence in the prevention strategies of the government related to COVID-19, they expressed feelings of distress and restlessness with regard to COVID-19-related news reports. CONCLUSIONS / IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the health of patients with TRD in both positive and negative ways. As the goal of government preventive strategies is to protect and promote public health, regular attention should be paid to the negative effects of long-term exposure to pandemic-related news on this vulnerable population.