J Alzheimers Dis. 2023 Aug 24. doi: 10.3233/JAD-220941. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The SARS-CoV2 global pandemic impacted participants in the Alzheimer’s Prevention Initiative (API) Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer’s Disease (ADAD) clinical trial, who faced three stressors: 1) fear of developing dementia; 2) concerns about missing treatment; and 3) the possibility of becoming infected with SARS-CoV2.
OBJECTIVE: To describe the frequency of psychological disorders among the participants of the API ADAD Colombia clinical study, treated by a holistic mental health team during the COVID-19 pandemic. Possibility of utilizing the mental health team services was explored, considering different risk factors, and comparing between users and non-users of these services.
METHODS: Participants had free and optional access to psychology and psychiatry services, outside of the study protocol. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the frequency of the mental health difficulties. A multivariable logistic regression model has been used to assess associations with using this program.
RESULTS: 66 participants were treated by the Mental Health Team from March 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020. Before and after the start of the pandemic, the most common psychological problems were anxiety (36.4% before, 63.6% after) and depression (34.8% before, 37.9% after). 70% of users assisted by psychology and 81.6% of those assisted by psychiatry felt that the services were useful for them. Female sex, depression, and anxiety before the pandemic were positively associated with being assisted by either psychology or psychiatry, while hyperlipidemia history association was negative.
CONCLUSIONS: A holistic mental health program, carried out in the context of a study, could mitigate psychopathology during pandemics such as COVID-19.
PMID:37638430 | DOI:10.3233/JAD-220941
