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Physical health profile and associated behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic in patients with bipolar disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2022

J.D. Sperling*
Affiliation:
Psychiatric Center of North Zealand, Psychiatric Research Unit, Hillerød, Denmark
N. Dalkner
Affiliation:
Medical University Graz, Psychiatry And Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Graz, Austria
C. Berndt
Affiliation:
Faculty of medicine, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, Technische Universität Dresden, Department Of Psychiatry & Psychotherapy, dresden, Germany
E. Fleischmann
Affiliation:
Medical University Graz, Psychiatry And Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Graz, Austria
M. Ratzenhofer
Affiliation:
Medical University Graz, Psychiatry And Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Graz, Austria
J. Martini
Affiliation:
Faculty of medicine, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, Technische Universität Dresden, Department Of Psychiatry & Psychotherapy, dresden, Germany
A. Pfennig
Affiliation:
Faculty of medicine, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, Technische Universität Dresden, Department Of Psychiatry & Psychotherapy, dresden, Germany
M. Bauer
Affiliation:
Faculty of medicine, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, Technische Universität Dresden, Department Of Psychiatry & Psychotherapy, dresden, Germany
E. Reininghaus
Affiliation:
Medical University Graz, Psychiatry And Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Graz, Austria
M. Vinberg
Affiliation:
Mental Health Services in the Capital Region of Denmark, Mental Health Centre North Zealand, Hilleroed, Denmark
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased psychological strain on public mental health and may impact behavioural, mental, and physical health, presumably with effects on patients with severe mental disorders.

Objectives

This study examines pandemic-related physical and mental health and (compensatory) behavioural changes, in patients with BD as compared to healthy control individuals.

Methods

Physical and mental health and self-reported changes in daily structure and behaviour due to pandemic were assessed using a self-constructed questionnaire and the brief symptom inventory (BSI) from outpatient clinics in Germany, Austria, and Denmark in individuals with BD and a healthy control group.

Results

The present study included 118 individuals with BD and 215 healthy controls. Individuals with BD reported statistically significant higher physical risk burden, increased weight gain, more physical comorbidities, and a decrease in physical activity and they further reported higher rate of COVID-19 testing, had more worries concerning health and experienced more anxiety but less social distancing.

Conclusions

The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have a greater impact on physical health in individuals with BD than in healthy controls. Individuals with BD appear to be having more difficulties compensating their behaviour due to the pandemic which could amplify the effect of risk factors associated with poorer physical health. This highlights the necessity for optimising and targeting the overall treatment of both mental and physical health in patients with BD during periods with far-reaching changes such as COVID-19 pandemic.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Type
Abstract
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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