Objective: This study aimed to investigate the long-term effects of a psychological rehabilitation program that was effective on anxiety, depression, and quality of sleep in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
Design: This is longitudinal study. Thirteen patients in the experimental group who received a psychological rehabilitation program during hospitalization and 16 patients in the control group who received conservative treatment completed the questionnaire 6 mos after discharge. Questionnaires are the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Visual Analysis Scale, and the Korean version of the Insomnia Severity Index.
Results: The Visual Analysis Scale for depression significantly improved in the experimental group compared with control group at discharge (E = -2.40, P < 0.001) and follow-up (E = -3.36, P < 0.001). The Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scores significantly improved at discharge (E = -4.05, P = 0.01 and E = -2.29, P = 0.01) but not at follow-up (E = -4.64, P = 0.12 and E = -1.81, P = 0.22). There are no significant interactions for Visual Analysis Scale for anxiety (E = -0.27, P = 0.79), Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale scores (E = -1.48, P = 0.51), and insomnia (E = -0.69, P = 0.63) scores during the follow-up.
Conclusions: Psychological rehabilitation showed a significant long-term reduction in depression, but not in anxiety. Therefore, continuous intervention and management of mental health are required after discharge.
Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.