This article in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (APMR) examines the prevalence, severity, and correlates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation in people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) assessed before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study uses data from the TBI Model Systems Database, finding the prevalence, severity, and correlates of mental health conditions were similar before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This OTJR: Occupation, Participation, and Health journal article describes a study on relationships between these factors and depression in middle-aged adults with physical disabilities during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors also provided recommendations for OTs looking to address symptoms of depression in their clients. Participants in a larger study of people aging with long-term physical disabilities (ages 45–64) completed a supplemental survey with questions about COVID-19, depression, and factors associated with depression.
In this NIDILRR-funded study published in the journal PLoS ONE, the authors evaluated the impact of COVID-19 pandemic exposure on changes in alcohol use and mood from years 1 to 2 after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Among persons living with TBI, those exposed to the pandemic had significant increases in average alcohol consumption. Pandemic-exposed Hispanics with TBI had large elevations in anxiety symptoms, perhaps reflecting health inequities exacerbated by the pandemic, and suggesting a need for targeted monitoring of psychosocial distress.
Study examined the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the lives of people with mental health disorders. The results showed that more than one-third (35.1 percent) screened positive for generalized anxiety disorder and over one-quarter (29.6 percent) screened positive for major depressive disorder. The majority reported pandemic-related changes in eating and sleeping patterns and exposure to COVID-19 infection.
