One in five COVID-19 patients develop mental illness within 90 days of diagnosis, new study finds

One in five COVID-19 patients develop mental illness within 90 days of diagnosis, new study finds Those with previous psychiatric diagnoses were 65% more likely to contract the coronavirus PhillyVoice

Psychiatrists are placing more attention on COVID-19's damaging impact on mental health following startling results from a new study. 

The study found that one in five COVID-19 patients are typically diagnosed with a mental illness within 90 days of treatment. Anxiety, depression, and insomnia were among the most common psychiatric diagnoses for patients involved in the study.

Research was conducted by scientists at Oxford University and published in the medical journal The Lancet on Monday. The study aimed to determine if COVID-19 diagnosis increased a person's risk of mental illness.

Scientists analyzed the medical records of 69 million U.S. residents, including more than 62,000 people who had been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Results showed that 20% of people who'd tested positive for coronavirus were diagnosed with psychiatric disorders like anxiety, depression, or insomnia for the first time following their COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment.

Patients were typically flagged for mental health problems between 14 and 90 days after they tested positive for COVID-19. 

More serious psychotic disorders were also reported by the study, but were much less likely to be diagnosed. Dementia was reported in a few instances of patients aged 65 and older.

The study also found another link between mental illness and the coronavirus. It found that people with pre-existing mental illness were 65% more likely to be diagnosed with COVID-19 than those without diagnosed psychiatric disorders. ...