prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder among covid-19 survivors: a 6-month follow-up study in a few referral hospitals of tehran, iran

Background: covid-19 has significantly impacted individuals globally, leading to heightened levels of stress and psychological distress. covid-19 hospitalized patients experience social exclusion, physical pain, and survival anxiety. this study aims to screen recovered covid-19 patients for post-traumatic stress disorder (ptsd) and assess its correlation with psychosocial factors for six months.methods: in this descriptive-analytical cohort study, 401 patients aged 18-80 years were hospitalized in hospitals related to tehran university of medical sciences due to covid-19 from march 1 to may 31, 2021, and were followed for six months. recovered patients completed electronic pcl-5 and demographic questionnaires to be screened for ptsd and other psychiatric comorbidities. the data were analyzed utilizing multivariate logistic regression models.results: based on the pcl-5, ptsd was diagnosed in 6.4% of the samples. 10.2% of the samples received a subthreshold ptsd diagnosis. 46.2% of the samples with a ptsd diagnosis had a positive past psychiatric history. results demonstrated that a previous positive psychiatric diagnosis has a statistically significant relationship with ptsd (p<0.05). this research did not reveal any significant association between ptsd symptoms and demographic features.conclusion: ptsd and subthreshold ptsd rates in covid-19 patients after hospital discharge are significant. a positive past psychiatric history was recognized as a contributing factor contributing to the onset of ptsd. covid-19 survivors should be screened for ptsd during follow-up examinations.