Presence of depression, anxiety, worry, perceived stress and loneliness termed as “psychological distress” prior to acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection enhances the risk of post-Covid conditions, also known as long Covid, according to a new study reported in JAMA Psychiatry.¹

In this study, data of 54,960 participants obtained from the Nurses Health Study II, Nurses Health Study 3 and the Growing Up Today Study was analysed to determine if high levels of pre-existing psychological distress (anxiety, depression, perceived stress, worry about Covid and loneliness), preceding Covid-19, were correlated with long Covid. The participants were surveyed frequently between April 2020 and November 2021. Of these, 20,902 subjects were active health care workers. The study had a female preponderance with 53,107 women (96.6%).

During the follow-up of for more than a year, 3193 (6%) participants tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Among Covid-positive patients, probable depression and anxiety were associated with higher risk of long Covid with relative risk (RR) of 1.32 and 1.42, respectively. Those who worried about getting the infection (RR 1.37) including those who felt lonely (RR 1.32) were at heightened risk of long Covid. High stress levels were associated with a 46% elevated risk for long Covid (RR 1.46). The risk increased by 50% among participants who had ≥2 forms of psychological distress before getting Covid (RR 1.49). A link between psychological distress and risk of impairment of daily life was observed among the participants with post-Covid conditions.

Besides the conventionally regarded risk factors for long Covid such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, this study also suggests “preinfection psychological distress” as a risk factor for post-Covid conditions.

Reference

1. Siwen Wang, et al. Associations of depression, anxiety, worry, perceived stress, and loneliness prior to infection with risk of post-COVID-19 conditions. JAMA Psychiatry. 2022 Sep 7. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.2640.