Background The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has produced a considerable public health burden but the impact that contracting the disease has on mental health is unclear. In this observational population-based cohort study, we examined longitudinal changes in psychological distress associated with testing positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods Participants ( N = 8002; observations = 139 035) were drawn from 23 waves of the Understanding America Study, a nationally representative probability-based online panel of American adults followed-up every 2 weeks from 1 April 2020 to 15 February 2021. Psychological distress was assessed using the standardized total score on the Patient Health Questionnaire-4. Results Over the course of the study, 576 participants reported testing positive for COVID-19. Using regression analysis including individual and time-fixed effects we found that psychological distress increased by 0.29 standard deviations ( p < 0.001) during the 2-week period when participants first tested positive for COVID-19. Distress levels remained significantly elevated ( d = 0.16, p < 0.01) for a further 2 weeks, before returning to baseline levels. Coronavirus symptom severity explained changes in distress attributable to COVID-19, whereby distress was more pronounced among those whose symptoms were more severe and were slower to subside. Conclusions This study indicates that testing positive for COVID-19 is associated with an initial increase in psychological distress that diminishes quickly as symptoms subside. Although COVID-19 may not produce lasting psychological distress among the majority of the general population it remains possible that a minority may suffer longer-term mental health consequences.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, Coronavirus infection, mental health, Psychological distress, Nationally representative study, longitudinal research, 【초록키워드】 coronavirus disease, public health, SARS-CoV-2, Symptom, Novel coronavirus, Consequences, understanding, General population, population-based cohort, distress, regression analysis, observation, Standard deviation, participant, total score, symptom severity, baseline levels, America, positive, over, Effect, longitudinal change, initial, Course, Result, produced, tested, examined, significantly, reported, remained, the disease, elevated, indicate, majority, changes in, explained, increase in, diminishe, 【제목키워드】 Evidence, positive,