Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

May 17, 2021

Psychological Distress, Persistent Physical Symptoms, and Perceived Recovery After COVID-19 Illness

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  • Patients experiencing COVID-19-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression had a higher burden of persistent physical symptoms and were less likely to report feeling recovered 3 months after illness onset, according to a study of adults hospitalized between March 26 and May 27, 2020 in New York. Thirty-six percent of patients reported full recovery from COVID-19 at follow-up, 24% had COVID-related PTSD, 18% had depression, and 12% met the criteria for both. The most common persistent physical symptoms were body aches (24%), fatigue (20%), shortness of breath (19%), and headache (13%). In adjusted models, the association between depression and physical symptoms became nonsignificant (OR = 3.1) while the association remained borderline significant for PTSD and physical symptoms (OR = 4.9).

Liyanage-Don et al. (May 13, 2021). Psychological Distress, Persistent Physical Symptoms, and Perceived Recovery After COVID-19 Illness. Journal of General Internal Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-021-06855-w