Risk of Developing Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in Severe COVID-19 Survivors, Their Families and Frontline Healthcare Workers: What Should Mental Health Specialists Prepare For?

Marcin Sekowski; Małgorzata Gambin; Karolina Hansen; Paweł Holas; Sylwia Hyniewska; Julia Wyszomirska; Agnieszka Pluta; Marta Sobańska; Emilia Łojek

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.562899

Risk of Developing Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in Severe COVID-19 Survivors, Their Families and Frontline Healthcare Workers: What Should Mental Health Specialists Prepare For?

Front Psychiatry. 2021 Jun 7:12:562899. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.562899. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Marcin Sekowski¹, Małgorzata Gambin², Karolina Hansen², Paweł Holas², Sylwia Hyniewska³, Julia Wyszomirska⁴, Agnieszka Pluta², Marta Sobańska², Emilia Łojek²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, The Maria Grzegorzewska University, Warsaw, Poland.
² Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
³ Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
⁴ Department of Psychology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.

Abstract

Given the high mortality of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), having severe COVID-19 may be a life-threatening event, especially for individuals at high risk of complications. Therefore, in the article we try to answer two questions that are relevant to public mental health: Can we define groups who are at higher risk of developing pandemic-related PTSD? How can health specialists prepare for it? Given the results of previous research on PTSD in epidemic (e.g., SARS) survivors, we suggest that mental health professionals in countries touched by the pandemic should prepare for an increase in the PTSD prevalence, specifically in: individuals who have had severe COVID-19; family members of these patients and of patients who have died; and frontline healthcare workers witnessing COVID-19 patients' sudden deaths, or numerous life-threatening situations. We postulate that these groups at risk should be routinely screened for PTSD in primary medical and pediatric care. Mental health services should prepare for providing therapeutic interventions for individuals with PTSD in the vulnerable groups, and support to their families, especially children.

Keywords: coronavirus disease; family; healthcare worker; post-traumatic stress disorder; prolonged grief disorder; severe acute respiratory syndrome.