Psychiatric News (3/2) reports, “Fear, stigma, depression, anxiety, and post traumatic stress disorder followed major infectious disease outbreaks earlier in this century,” and psychiatrists should now “be prepared for similar reactions as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak expands.” Research focusing on “survivors of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in Asia and Canada in 2003 indicated high rates of psychiatric disorders both during the acute phase of the pandemic and up to four years later.” In an email, Joshua Morganstein, MD, chair of APA’s Committee on the Psychiatric Dimensions of Disasters, stated, “It is essential to understand how any given patient will most effectively receive information and tailor communication and interventions using a patient-centered approach.” Click here to “see the APA blog post ‘Coronavirus and Mental Health: Taking Care of Ourselves During Infectious Disease Outbreaks’” that Dr. Morganstein has written.
Related Links:
— “How Psychiatrists Can Help Patients During Coronavirus Outbreak, Psychiatric News, March 2, 2020