Psychiatric Patients’ Symptoms and Level of Aggression Before and After the Utilization of Covid-19 Preventive Measures: A Mixed Method Study

Abstract

Background: Although numerous empirical researches corroborated the efficacious and prosperous impact of Coronavirus preventive measures, it may arouse non-deliberately negative communicative clues and feelings such as the feeling of ignorance, loneliness, exclusion from the community. Aim: The study aimed to compare patients' level of aggression and severity of symptoms before and after the utilization of covid-19 precautions. Subjects and method: Design: Triangulation mixed method design. Setting: Alhasa for mental health hospital, Saudi Arabia. Subjects: a total number of 125 patients and 72 nurses. Tools of data collection:Structured observational assessment sheets adopted from the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia as well as unstructured questionnaires with open questions developed by the researcher used to assess patients' symptoms and level of patients' aggression before and after corona pandemic.Results: Nurses confirmed that, patients' psychotic symptoms and level of aggression increased in rate after utilizing covid-19 precautions, while psychiatric patients exposed feelings of insecurity, sadness, and anger as consequences of utilizing these measures. Conclusion:Comparative results assessing patients' positive and negative symptoms as well as aggressive acts before the utilization of precautions and after applying it reflected statistically significant differences that nurses and other health team members should consider and scrutinize.Recommendations: Further researches designing a modified covid-19 preventive precautions manual for psychiatric patients is recommended.