COVID-19 Pandemic Burden in Severe Mental Disease Patients

NCT ID: NCT04357769

Last Updated: 2021-02-03

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Total Enrollment

400 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2020-04-10

Study Completion Date

2020-04-25

Brief Summary

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Despite being originated in Wuhan, in the China mainland region of the Hubei, Italy has been the hardest-hit country in the world by the COVID-19 pandemic during the month of March.

Due to the uncontrollable spread of the contagion, the Italian Government has been forced to impose a series of restrictions and social distancing measures, culminating in the extension of lockdown to the entire Italian territory on March 8th.

During this period, the general population has been overwhelmed by feelings of worry, anxiety, and discomfort. The discomfort is reinforced by the lengthening of the lockdown, to the point that it may be considered as a mass model of chronic or subchronic mild stress.

The predictable effects of this stress on mental health have already been claimed, Post-traumatic symptoms were found in 7% among 285 Wuhan and surrounding cities' residents during the COVID-19 outbreak. A recent survey in the Italian general population reported similar outcomes.

In this context, the psychic conditions of the most fragile ones, i.e. those already affected by a severe mental disorder, represent a major concern. Having a history of psychiatric illness is regarded as one of the most relevant predictors of a negative psychological impact of quarantine. Patients with severe mental disorders may be among the hardest hit subjects, as they may be more vulnerable by the COVID-19 outbreak for a series of clinical and psychological factors. In the Italian context, the vulnerability of these patients may be increased by the lockdown of mental health services as a consequence of mass quarantine and optimization of health resources toward action to contrast COVID-19-related sanitary emergencies.

Despite several reports investigated the psychological effects of COVID-19 pandemic on health-care workers, COVID-19 affected people, or the general population, at the moment, no study has investigated the effects of the distress caused by fear of contagion and mass quarantine on severe mental disorder patients. The present study aimed at providing a first evaluation of anxiety, depressive, stress-related symptoms in these patients.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Psychological Distress COVID Severe Mental Disorder

Study Design

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Observational Model Type

CASE_CONTROL

Study Time Perspective

CROSS_SECTIONAL

Study Groups

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Patients

Individuals aged 18-70 years with a diagnosis of severe mental disorder (schizophrenia or psychosis spectrum disorder; bipolar disorder; major depressive disorder) who were in a condition of psychopathological compensation, had their last clinical evaluation at the University of Naples Federico II outpatient unit of Psychiatry during January-February 2020, were not positive or suspected positive for COVID-19, and were under strict quarantine

PSS (Perceived Stress Scale)

Intervention Type OTHER

Self-administered scale for the evaluation of the stress perceived by the subject in the last weeks

GAD-7 (7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder)

Intervention Type OTHER

Self-administered scale for the evaluation of anxiety symptoms in the last weeks

PHQ-9 (9-item Patient Health Questionnaire)

Intervention Type OTHER

Self-administered scale for the evaluation of depressive symptoms in the last weeks

SPEQ (Specific Psychotic Experiences Questionnaire) - Paranoia and Grandiosity Subscales

Intervention Type OTHER

Self-administered scale for the evaluation of sub-threshold psychotic symptoms in the last weeks

Controls (General Population)

Individuals aged 18-70 years who had not a psychiatric condition nor were positive or suspected positive for COVID-19 and were under strict quarantine (e.g. not getting out for work)

PSS (Perceived Stress Scale)

Intervention Type OTHER

Self-administered scale for the evaluation of the stress perceived by the subject in the last weeks

GAD-7 (7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder)

Intervention Type OTHER

Self-administered scale for the evaluation of anxiety symptoms in the last weeks

PHQ-9 (9-item Patient Health Questionnaire)

Intervention Type OTHER

Self-administered scale for the evaluation of depressive symptoms in the last weeks

SPEQ (Specific Psychotic Experiences Questionnaire) - Paranoia and Grandiosity Subscales

Intervention Type OTHER

Self-administered scale for the evaluation of sub-threshold psychotic symptoms in the last weeks

First-degree Relatives

Individuals aged 18-70 years who were first-degree relatives and caregivers of an individual included in the Patients group, who had not a psychiatric condition nor were positive or suspected positive for COVID-19 and were under strict quarantine

PSS (Perceived Stress Scale)

Intervention Type OTHER

Self-administered scale for the evaluation of the stress perceived by the subject in the last weeks

GAD-7 (7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder)

Intervention Type OTHER

Self-administered scale for the evaluation of anxiety symptoms in the last weeks

PHQ-9 (9-item Patient Health Questionnaire)

Intervention Type OTHER

Self-administered scale for the evaluation of depressive symptoms in the last weeks

SPEQ (Specific Psychotic Experiences Questionnaire) - Paranoia and Grandiosity Subscales

Intervention Type OTHER

Self-administered scale for the evaluation of sub-threshold psychotic symptoms in the last weeks

Zaritt Burden Interview

Intervention Type OTHER

Self-administered scale for the evaluation of severe mental disorder patients' caregiver burden

Interventions

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PSS (Perceived Stress Scale)

Self-administered scale for the evaluation of the stress perceived by the subject in the last weeks

Intervention Type OTHER

GAD-7 (7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder)

Self-administered scale for the evaluation of anxiety symptoms in the last weeks

Intervention Type OTHER

PHQ-9 (9-item Patient Health Questionnaire)

Self-administered scale for the evaluation of depressive symptoms in the last weeks

Intervention Type OTHER

SPEQ (Specific Psychotic Experiences Questionnaire) - Paranoia and Grandiosity Subscales

Self-administered scale for the evaluation of sub-threshold psychotic symptoms in the last weeks

Intervention Type OTHER

Zaritt Burden Interview

Self-administered scale for the evaluation of severe mental disorder patients' caregiver burden

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* DSM-5 Diagnosis of Schizophrenia or Psychosis Spectrum; Bipolar Disorder; REcurrent Major Depressive Disorder
* Linguistic and cognitive ability to complete the rating scales
* Written informed consent
* Psychopathological compensation at last clinical evaluation on January-February 2020

Exclusion Criteria

* SARS-CoV-2 positive, suspected positive, or in recent close contact with positive ones
* Not under strict quarantine, due to work reasons or to any other reason allowing to overcome quarantine
* Current or recent hospitalization (i.e. on March-April), for any reason
* Intellectual disability
* Psychiatric disturbances secondary to general medical conditions or substances
* Serious medical conditions with infaust prognosis or severely affecting the quality of life
* Living in Northern Italy


* Psychiatric Disorder, of any type


* First degree relative or caregiver of a psychiatric patient
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

70 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Federico II University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Felice Iasevoli

Associate Professor of Psychiatry

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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University of Naples "Federico II"

Napoli, , Italy

Site Status

Countries

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Italy

Other Identifiers

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152/20

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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