Risk of PTSD Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Patients in Opioid Substitution Treatment
Background: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of patients suffering from addictive disorders is of major concern. This study aimed to explore the presence and potential increase in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, depression, and anxiety since the beginning of t...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-09-01
|
Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.729460/full |
id |
doaj-fd397d9dec4d4fda9a0508d0afb02770 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-fd397d9dec4d4fda9a0508d0afb027702021-09-30T05:04:37ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402021-09-011210.3389/fpsyt.2021.729460729460Risk of PTSD Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Patients in Opioid Substitution TreatmentIsabella Fuchs-Leitner0Isabella Fuchs-Leitner1Kurosch Yazdi2Kurosch Yazdi3Nikolas W. Gerstgrasser4Nikolas W. Gerstgrasser5Matthias G. Tholen6Sophie-Therés Graffius7Alexander Schorb8Jan Rosenleitner9Jan Rosenleitner10Medical Faculty, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, AustriaDepartment of Psychiatry - Specialization Addiction Medicine, Kepler University Hospital GmbH, Linz, AustriaMedical Faculty, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, AustriaDepartment of Psychiatry - Specialization Addiction Medicine, Kepler University Hospital GmbH, Linz, AustriaMedical Faculty, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, AustriaDepartment of Psychiatry - Specialization Addiction Medicine, Kepler University Hospital GmbH, Linz, AustriaUniversity Hospital of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, AustriaUniversity Hospital of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, AustriaUniversity Hospital of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, AustriaMedical Faculty, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, AustriaDepartment of Psychiatry - Specialization Addiction Medicine, Kepler University Hospital GmbH, Linz, AustriaBackground: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of patients suffering from addictive disorders is of major concern. This study aimed to explore the presence and potential increase in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, depression, and anxiety since the beginning of the pandemic for patients in opioid substitution therapy (OST).Methods: This cross-sectional survey study evaluated a clinical sample of patients in OST (N = 123). Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to the COVID-19 pandemic were assessed by an adapted version of the impact of event scale (IES-R), resulting in two subgroups of low and high risk for PTSD. The depression, anxiety, and stress scale (DASS-21) was applied to collect data on the respective symptoms, and changes since the onset of the pandemic were reported on separate scales. Sociodemographic and COVID-19 related factors, as well as data on craving, consumption patterns, concomitant use, and the drug market were further assessed.Results: A binary logistic regression analysis confirmed the impact of self-perceived higher burden by psychological and economic factors on the elevated risk for PTSD due to the pandemic. The high-risk PTSD group also showed higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress, as well as a more pronounced deterioration in these symptoms since the pandemic. While reported levels of craving did not differ between the two groups, the high-risk PTSD group indicated a significantly higher increase in craving since the crisis, when compared to the low-risk group.Discussion: Our findings demonstrate elevated levels of clinical symptoms among patients in OST, with more than a quarter of patients found at risk for PTSD due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, about 30–50% of our patients reported concerning levels of depression, anxiety, or stress. Special attention should be drawn to these findings, and potential deterioration of the situation should be addressed by health care facilities. Particularly, psychological, and financial burden due to the crisis were identified as factors increasing the risk for PTSD. These factors can easily be evaluated during routine anamneses, and might be a valuable source of information, when special attention is needed.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.729460/fullCOVID-19drug use disorderopioid substitution therapy (OST)PTSDIES-RDASS-21 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Isabella Fuchs-Leitner Isabella Fuchs-Leitner Kurosch Yazdi Kurosch Yazdi Nikolas W. Gerstgrasser Nikolas W. Gerstgrasser Matthias G. Tholen Sophie-Therés Graffius Alexander Schorb Jan Rosenleitner Jan Rosenleitner |
spellingShingle |
Isabella Fuchs-Leitner Isabella Fuchs-Leitner Kurosch Yazdi Kurosch Yazdi Nikolas W. Gerstgrasser Nikolas W. Gerstgrasser Matthias G. Tholen Sophie-Therés Graffius Alexander Schorb Jan Rosenleitner Jan Rosenleitner Risk of PTSD Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Patients in Opioid Substitution Treatment Frontiers in Psychiatry COVID-19 drug use disorder opioid substitution therapy (OST) PTSD IES-R DASS-21 |
author_facet |
Isabella Fuchs-Leitner Isabella Fuchs-Leitner Kurosch Yazdi Kurosch Yazdi Nikolas W. Gerstgrasser Nikolas W. Gerstgrasser Matthias G. Tholen Sophie-Therés Graffius Alexander Schorb Jan Rosenleitner Jan Rosenleitner |
author_sort |
Isabella Fuchs-Leitner |
title |
Risk of PTSD Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Patients in Opioid Substitution Treatment |
title_short |
Risk of PTSD Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Patients in Opioid Substitution Treatment |
title_full |
Risk of PTSD Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Patients in Opioid Substitution Treatment |
title_fullStr |
Risk of PTSD Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Patients in Opioid Substitution Treatment |
title_full_unstemmed |
Risk of PTSD Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Patients in Opioid Substitution Treatment |
title_sort |
risk of ptsd due to the covid-19 pandemic among patients in opioid substitution treatment |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Psychiatry |
issn |
1664-0640 |
publishDate |
2021-09-01 |
description |
Background: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of patients suffering from addictive disorders is of major concern. This study aimed to explore the presence and potential increase in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, depression, and anxiety since the beginning of the pandemic for patients in opioid substitution therapy (OST).Methods: This cross-sectional survey study evaluated a clinical sample of patients in OST (N = 123). Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to the COVID-19 pandemic were assessed by an adapted version of the impact of event scale (IES-R), resulting in two subgroups of low and high risk for PTSD. The depression, anxiety, and stress scale (DASS-21) was applied to collect data on the respective symptoms, and changes since the onset of the pandemic were reported on separate scales. Sociodemographic and COVID-19 related factors, as well as data on craving, consumption patterns, concomitant use, and the drug market were further assessed.Results: A binary logistic regression analysis confirmed the impact of self-perceived higher burden by psychological and economic factors on the elevated risk for PTSD due to the pandemic. The high-risk PTSD group also showed higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress, as well as a more pronounced deterioration in these symptoms since the pandemic. While reported levels of craving did not differ between the two groups, the high-risk PTSD group indicated a significantly higher increase in craving since the crisis, when compared to the low-risk group.Discussion: Our findings demonstrate elevated levels of clinical symptoms among patients in OST, with more than a quarter of patients found at risk for PTSD due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, about 30–50% of our patients reported concerning levels of depression, anxiety, or stress. Special attention should be drawn to these findings, and potential deterioration of the situation should be addressed by health care facilities. Particularly, psychological, and financial burden due to the crisis were identified as factors increasing the risk for PTSD. These factors can easily be evaluated during routine anamneses, and might be a valuable source of information, when special attention is needed. |
topic |
COVID-19 drug use disorder opioid substitution therapy (OST) PTSD IES-R DASS-21 |
url |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.729460/full |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT isabellafuchsleitner riskofptsdduetothecovid19pandemicamongpatientsinopioidsubstitutiontreatment AT isabellafuchsleitner riskofptsdduetothecovid19pandemicamongpatientsinopioidsubstitutiontreatment AT kuroschyazdi riskofptsdduetothecovid19pandemicamongpatientsinopioidsubstitutiontreatment AT kuroschyazdi riskofptsdduetothecovid19pandemicamongpatientsinopioidsubstitutiontreatment AT nikolaswgerstgrasser riskofptsdduetothecovid19pandemicamongpatientsinopioidsubstitutiontreatment AT nikolaswgerstgrasser riskofptsdduetothecovid19pandemicamongpatientsinopioidsubstitutiontreatment AT matthiasgtholen riskofptsdduetothecovid19pandemicamongpatientsinopioidsubstitutiontreatment AT sophietheresgraffius riskofptsdduetothecovid19pandemicamongpatientsinopioidsubstitutiontreatment AT alexanderschorb riskofptsdduetothecovid19pandemicamongpatientsinopioidsubstitutiontreatment AT janrosenleitner riskofptsdduetothecovid19pandemicamongpatientsinopioidsubstitutiontreatment AT janrosenleitner riskofptsdduetothecovid19pandemicamongpatientsinopioidsubstitutiontreatment |
_version_ |
1716863983609184256 |