Depression, Anxiety, and Acute Stress Disorder among Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19: A Prospective Cohort Study

Abstract Objective The epidemiology of psychiatric symptoms among COVID-19 patients is poorly characterized. This paper seeks to identify the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and acute stress disorder among hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Methods Adult patients recently admitted to non-ICU medical ward settings with COVID-19 were eligible for enrollment. Enrolled patients were screened for depression, anxiety, and delirium. Subsequently, patients were followed by phone after two weeks and re-screened for depression, anxiety, and acute stress disorder symptoms. Subjects’ medical records were abstracted for clinical data. Results 58 subjects were enrolled of whom 44 completed the study. Initially, 36% of subjects had elevated anxiety symptoms and 29% elevated depression symptoms. At two-week follow-up, 9% had elevated anxiety symptoms, 20% elevated depression symptoms, and 25% mild-to-moderate acute stress disorder symptoms. Discharge to home was not associated with improvement in psychiatric symptoms. Conclusion A significant number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 experience symptoms of depression and anxiety. While anxiety improves following index admission, depression remains fairly stable. Furthermore, a significant minority of patients experience acute stress disorder symptoms, though these are largely mild-to-moderate.