Depression, Loneliness Tied to Increased COVID Hospitalization Risk

Surveyed COVID patients who reported depression, loneliness, or anxiety had a greater chance of being hospitalized, according to a study published in Psychological Medicine.

The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health analyzed survey data from more than 54,000 female nurses and their offspring. Between April 2020 and April 2021, slightly more than 3,600 study participants tested positive for SAR-CoV-2 infection.

Those who reported chronic (long-term) depression before the pandemic were 72% more likely to be hospitalized after their diagnosis for COVID-19. Those who scored high on likely indicators of depression (probable depression) when they began the study were 81% more likely to be hospitalized than those who did not.

Being very worried about COVID-19 was associated with a 79% increase in risk for hospitalization. Moreover, those who reported persistent feelings of loneliness were 81% more likely to be hospitalized than those who did not. Feelings of anxiety and stress were not associated with a higher risk for hospitalization.

The authors said their findings suggest that psychological risk factors may increase hospitalization risk as much as physical risk factors, such as high cholesterol and hypertension. They called for additional research to determine if treatment to reduce depression and other forms of psychological distress, in addition to standard treatments, might reduce the severity of COVID-19.

Depression Loneliness

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RT delivers in-depth coverage of the clinical, regulatory, and technology landscape for respiratory therapy—and reaches more than 28,000 key decision-makers and influencers. As one of healthcare’s most important data companies, we facilitate the rapid adoption of medical devices and practice management tools into the industry.