Saúde Mental Pós-Covid: um estudo transversal

Abstract

In early 2020, the first peak of transmission and contamination of SARS-CoV-2 was reached, leading to many deaths worldwide. In this context, public health crisis scenarios such as the Coronavirus Pandemic bring with it several risks to the health of the population affected worldwide, which are not limited to the spread of the virus and include an increase in the prevalence or worsening of mental disorders. Therefore, this research aimed to characterize and analyze possible changes in mental health in post Covid patients through a semi-structured clinical interview, application of a sociodemographic and occupational questionnaire and application of the BECK II-BDI Depression Inventory, correlating the variables found in the study. This is a quantitative and cross-sectional investigation, which took place in a municipality located in the Southwest of Paraná. Fifty individuals (72% women) participated in this study, aged between 18 and 63 years (M = 38.56, SD = 10.25). The results of this research indicate that a considerable portion (56%) of the participants have persistent post-Covid symptoms for more than 3 months. Regarding the main symptoms persisting in the sample, 60% (n = 30) of the interviewees mentioned changes in memory and 50% (n = 25) reported the persistence of headaches. Other symptoms such as irritability, sadness, shortness of breath, nervous breakdown, increased alcohol consumption, sudden crying, chest pain, weight gain, profuse sighs, increased sweating, tachycardia, vertigo, weight loss, nightmares, gastrointestinal disturbances, and sleepdisturbances, upset stomach, muscle tension and constipation were also reported, butto a lesser extent than those reported with memory changes and headaches. Regarding the scores on the BDI-II, the results showed statistically significant differences in relation to sex, in which there was a greater proportion of moderate andsevere symptoms of depression in women, as well as among those who reported difficulties at work, sadness, deep sighs, as persistent post-Covid symptoms. Also, patients who reported the symptom of sudden post-Covid crying, had a higher proportion of presenting minimal or mild symptoms of depression. Based on these data, the importance of mental health care for the entire population becomes clear, especially after the pandemic, as well as public policies that can help directly or indirectly in reducing harm to post-Covid patients, and in managing of new epidemics that may arise over time.