Levels of depression and quality of life in patients hospitalized for moderate–severe COVID-19 in a regional hospital: INTER-MONF study

Background and objectives

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease that causes both physical and mental sequelae. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the quality of life and the level of depression in post-COVID-19 patients using the SF-36 Questionnaire (SF-36) and the Beck depression inventory (BDI) and to compare it with the quality of life of the general population for the same sex and age group.

Methods

A cohort, observational, and prospective study was designed with the survivors of the group of 115 patients hospitalized at Hospital Público de Monforte to whom the SF-36 and BDI were performed.

Results

60 patients responded to the questionnaires (mean age 65.24 (± 15.49) years and 40% women). In the SF-36, the summary of the physical and mental component was, respectively, 47.71(± 8.48) and 47.25(± 9.39). Women have lower scores than men in half of the components of the SF-36. The probability of depression inferred by SF-36 was 28% and applying BDI results were 81.67% of the sample were not depressed, 8.33% were mild–moderate depressed, 6,67% were moderate–severe depressed, and 3.33% were severely depressed.

Conclusions

Patients who have suffered COVID-19 predisposes to a higher frequency of depression as well as to a worse quality of life in terms of both physical and mental health. This should serve to raise awareness of the follow-up of patients with long COVID-19 in order to prevent, as far as possible, a decrease in their quality of life.