The psychological impact of COVID-19 and lockdown measures among a sample of italian patients with eating disorders: A longitudinal study. (13th April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nisticò, V.; Bertelli, S.; Priori, A.; Gambini, O.; Demartini, B.
• Is Part Of: European psychiatry. Volume 64:Supplement 1(2021)
• Page Start: S93
• Page End: S93
• Publication Date: 2021-04-13
• Subjects: Anxiety -- Depression -- COVID-19 -- eating disorders; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Mental illness -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.273
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0924-9338

Abstract

Abstract : Introduction: COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown greatly impact on mental health, especially on individuals with pre-existing psychiatric conditions. Objectives: To explore the prevalence of specific psychiatric symptoms across a sample of patients with Eating Disorder (ED), compared to a group of healthy controls (HC), during the lockdown period in Italy, and to assess whether patients' symptoms improved, persisted or worsened with the easing of the lockdown measures. Methods: Study 1: 59 ED patients and 43 HC were recruited and completed, at the beginning of May 2020(t0), an online survey including: the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale – 21 items (DASS-21), the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and few ad-hoc questions extracted from the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q). Study 2: 40 ED patients from Study 1 completed the same survey two months after t0 (t1). Results: Study 1: ED patients scored significantly higher than HC at the DASS-21 (Total Score and subscales), the IES-R (Total Score and subscales) and the PSS. Moreover, they showed higher distress specifically related to food and their body. Study 2: at t1, levels of stress, anxiety and depression were not different than at t0, but symptoms related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) improved, together with patients' reported level of psychological wellbeing and specific ED symptomatology. Conclusions: During lockdown, ED patients presented significantly higher levels of stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD-related symptoms, and ED-related symptoms than HC. With the easing of lockdown, PTSD-related and ED-related symptoms ameliorated, but high levels of stress, anxiety and depression persisted. Disclosure: No significant relationships.