Epidemiology of infection, transmission and COVID-19 outcomes among mental health users and workers in a comprehensive network of long-term mental health facilities: Retrospective observational population-base study.

BACKGROUND

A high Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) morbidity and mortality have been reported among users and workers of long-term care facilities. The main objective of this work was to explore the prevalence and temporal pattern of COVID-19 in comprehensive network of long-term mental health facilities in Spain. Secondly, we aimed to estimate the effect of having a severe mental health diagnosis on prevalence and COVID-19 outcomes.

METHODS

A cohort of 2552 participants were followed-up over a one-year. Sociodemographic and clinical data related to COVID-19 were recollected using a proforma. Frequency analyses were used to determine the prevalence of COVID-19 disease. Multivariable binary regression models sequentially adjusted by gender and age were employed to explore the potential role of severe mental health diagnosis on COVID-19 outcomes.

RESULTS

Workers had higher risk of testing positive than mental health users (odds ratio [OR] 1.57 [95 % CI 1.01-2.43; p < 0.05] who presented an equivalent risk of testing positive after accounting for age and gender (OR 1.62 [95 % CI 0.98-2.66; p = 0.06].

CONCLUSIONS

The significant lower prevalence of COVID-19 among mental health users could be explained by the measures implemented to prevent COVID-19 as well as by the possible role that antipsychotic treatment could play in the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection.