Objectives To examine the psychological and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with established anxiety disorders during a period of stringent mandated social restrictions. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 individuals attending the Galway-Roscommon Mental Health Services with an International Classification of Diseases diagnosis of an anxiety disorder to determine the impact of the COVID-19 restrictions on anxiety and mood symptoms, social and occupational functioning and quality of life. Results Twelve (40.0%) participants described COVID-19 restrictions as having a deleterious impact on their anxiety symptoms. Likert scale measurements noted that the greatest impact of COVID-19 related to social functioning (mean = 4.5, SD = 2.9), with a modest deleterious effect on anxiety symptoms noted (mean = 3.8, SD = 2.9). Clinician rated data noted that 8 (26.7%) participants had disimproved and 14 (46.7%) participants had improved since their previous clinical review, prior to commencement of COVID-19 restrictions. Conditions associated with no ‘trigger’, such as generalised anxiety disorder, demonstrated a non-significant increase in anxiety symptoms compared to conditions with a ‘trigger’, such as obsessive compulsive disorder. Psychiatric or physical comorbidity did not substantially impact on symptomatology secondary to COVID-19 mandated restrictions. Conclusions The psychological and social impact of COVID-19 restrictions on individuals with pre-existing anxiety disorders has been modest with only minimal increases in symptomatology or social impairment noted.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, 【초록키워드】 Anxiety, COVID-19 pandemic, Diagnosis, Comorbidity, classification, Symptoms, Patient, Quality of life, Psychological, Likert scale, Generalised anxiety disorder, Deleterious, Anxiety Disorder, anxiety symptoms, individual, participant, disorder, impairment, service, objective, physical, obsessive compulsive, anxiety symptom, Result, described, conducted, condition, determine, demonstrated, increase in, increases in, 【제목키워드】 COVID-19 pandemic, Impact, Patient, Anxiety Disorder, secondary care,