The impact of COVID-19 on the psychological distress and its correlates among adults aged 40 to 65 years old survivors in Lebanon at 1-month follow-up posthospital discharge : a cross-sectional study

Abstract

The coronavirus epidemic (COVID-19) originated in China and quickly spread to many other nations worldwide. The purpose of this study is to explore the prevalence of psychological distress among COVID‑19 survivors one month after their discharge from the hospital. Moreover, this study also explored the relationship of predictor variables such as gender, marital status, and profession with PTSD, depression, and anxiety levels of the survivors. Two hospitals (Rayak Hospital and Baalbeck Government Hospital) located in the Beqaa Valley participated in this study. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)‑Checklist (PCL) was used to measure PTSD, PHQ-9 for depression, and GAD-7 for anxiety. Data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics using STATA (version 17). The final sampling consisted of a total of 142 survivors who were middle-aged (between 40 and 65 years old). Results showed that a high prevalence of PTSD (52%), depression (63%), and anxiety (53%) was present among the survivors. Female gender, married, and employed participants were significantly associated with the PTSD-PCL score. Females were more likely to show symptoms of anxiety compared to males. Unmarried participants (including the single, divorced, and widowed) experienced fewer emotional symptoms of depression than married participants. More information on the long-term effects on COVID-19 survivors' mental health may be obtained through longitudinal studies.