Stopford Marc D, Maisto Alexandra, Friedlander Wendy
Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
S Afr J Psychiatr. 2024 Jul 16;30:2275. doi: 10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v30i0.2275. eCollection 2024.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound global impact, affecting individuals, including those with mental illness, through early and widespread information dissemination. Although the neurobiological basis of delusions remains unclear, external stimuli and historical events are known to influence them. The pandemic provided a unique opportunity to explore this phenomenon.
To determine the prevalence of COVID-19-related delusional content, among individuals presenting for treatment of psychosis during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and investigate associated clinical and demographic factors.
Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in-patient psychiatry department.
Data were extracted retrospectively from adult psychiatric admissions spanning April to September 2020 on patients whose presenting complaints included delusions. Demographic factors, symptoms, psychiatric, medical and substance use history, and a documented Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) diagnosis by the attending psychiatrist were collected.
The prevalence of COVID-19-related delusional content was 25.5%. Significant demographic association was observed with education level of Grade 12 and above ( = 0.000338). The odds of a diagnosis of schizophrenia and related disorders were 2.72 times greater than mood and psychotic disorder due to another medical condition in those with COVID- 19-related delusional content (OR 2.19, 95% CI: [1.4-3.4]).
The presence of COVID-19-related delusional content in patients admitted to hospital with psychosis provides further evidence of the role of external stimuli in the formation of delusions.
This study underscores the influence of socio-cultural factors on delusions and advocates for interventions and expanded research to address mental health outcomes.
新冠疫情对全球产生了深远影响，通过早期广泛的信息传播影响了包括精神疾病患者在内的个体。尽管妄想的神经生物学基础尚不清楚，但已知外部刺激和历史事件会对其产生影响。疫情为探索这一现象提供了独特的机会。
确定在新冠疫情高峰期因精神病前来治疗的个体中与新冠相关的妄想内容的患病率，并调查相关的临床和人口统计学因素。
克里斯·哈尼·巴拉干纳特学术医院住院精神科。
回顾性提取2020年4月至9月期间成年精神科住院患者的数据，这些患者的主诉包括妄想。收集人口统计学因素、症状、精神、医学和物质使用史，以及主治精神科医生记录的《精神疾病诊断与统计手册》第五版（DSM-5）诊断结果。
与新冠相关的妄想内容的患病率为25.5%。观察到与12年级及以上教育水平存在显著的人口统计学关联（P = 0.000338）。在有与新冠相关的妄想内容的患者中，精神分裂症及相关障碍的诊断几率比因其他医学状况导致的心境和精神障碍高2.72倍（比值比2.19，95%置信区间：[1.4 - 3.4]）。
因精神病住院的患者中存在与新冠相关的妄想内容，为外部刺激在妄想形成中的作用提供了进一步证据。
本研究强调了社会文化因素对妄想的影响，并倡导采取干预措施和扩大研究以解决心理健康问题。
