The psychological impact on patients with memory disorders and their caregivers during COVID-19

Abstract

Background COVID-19 is erupting globally. Mass quarantine had been implemented all around China which could influence the psychological status of patients with memory disorders and their caregivers. Aim To investigate the psychological impact of mass quarantine on patients with memory disorders and their caregivers in China. Methods We completed a cross-sectional study in 787 patients and their caregivers registered from 2010 to 2019 in Memory Clinic, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, by telephone interviews. The performance in neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs), sleep, nutrition, chronic diseases of patients, and the burden of care, anxiety and depression of caregivers was assessed by six assessment scales (MNA-SF, PSQI, NPI, RSS, PHQ-9 and GAD-7). Results Only 68 (8.6%) patients worried about the outbreak of COVID-19. The prevalence of NPSs among all subjects was nearly 60.0%. Approximately 50.0% of the caregivers reported distress. More than 70.0% of patients remained stable in NPSs. However, anxiety, depression, aberrant motor disorder and delusion were exacerbated (22.9%, 18.6%, 17.1% and 16.8%, respectively). Appetite and eating disorder led alleviation rate by 25.8% while disappearing rate of agitation led by 5.8%. 7.5% of caregivers manifested depressive symptoms while 4.9% expressed anxiety symptoms, and 40.8% showed care burden. The coefficients of RSS and PHQ-9, RSS and GAD-7, RSS and NPI-D, PHQ-9 and GAD-7 were 0.7, 0.5, 0.5 and 0.6, respectively ( p < 0.01). Conclusion Changes in NPSs during COVID-19 were observed in some patients with memory disorders and their caregivers, and adherence to medication contributed to the stabilization of NPSs. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40520-021-01911-1.

The Neuropsychiatric Changes After COVID-19 Quarantine in Patients With Cognitive Impairment and Their Caregivers in Chongqing, China: A Cohort Study

“…The scales applied in this study were consistent with our first investigation ( Yuan et al, 2021 ), including NPI, PHQ-9, GDS-7, RSS, Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The investigation process and rating were conducted as described before ( Brooks et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Notably, 531 out of 787 patients who participated in our first investigation ( Yuan et al, 2021 ) completed the follow-up interview via telephone from October 24 to November 9, 2020, at 6 months after the national quarantine was lifted. The reasons for lost patients ( N = 256) in the follow up were out of service ( N = 27), failed connection ( N = 55), and refused to participate ( N = 174).…”

“…In one of our previous studies, we interviewed 787 patients and their caregivers using widely used assessment scales such as neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and Relative Stress Scale (RSS). We discovered that neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs), such as depression and anxiety, aggravated in patients with memory disorders and their caregivers during COVID-19, and medication adherence contributed to the stabilization of NPSs ( Yuan et al, 2021 ).…”

“…These countermeasures could be beneficial for patients as well as for caregivers to reduce mental problems. Therefore, we conducted the follow-up interview in the same population who have participated in our first survey during the quarantine ( Yuan et al, 2021 ). In the follow-up investigation, the same questionnaires were applied during October 24 and November 9, 2020, regarding COVID-19 contact history, NPSs, sleep quality, nutrition of patients, as well as care burden and mental stress of their caregivers.…”

The Impact of Social Isolation Due to COVID-19 on Symptom Progression in People With Dementia: Findings of the SOLITUDE Study

“…This impact may have been particularly severe in older people with selective risk factors, e.g., hearing loss ( 11 ), that may exacerbate isolation and, in turn, increase subjective perceptions of loneliness, and of decline in cognitive and mental health. Indeed, several observational studies carried out across the world have consistently detected worsening of existing and emergence of new neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with dementia, after the introduction of a range of diverse measures of social isolation ( 12 – 16 ). As a possible consequence of the behavioural alterations experienced by people with dementia (PWD), negative effects were also reported on the burden and mental health of their carers ( 13 , 17 , 18 ).…”