Study on Gender-specific Population at Risk of Developing Dementia, Anxiety and Depression Following Exposure to COVID-19.

Abstract

Background: The identification of COVID-19 first occurred in January 2020. The rapid transmission of this virus across human populations has led to the emergence of a global pandemic known as COVID-19. Dementia, anxiety and depression are neurological disorders that impact several higher cognitive functions, such as memory, cognition, orientation, understanding, computation, learning ability, language and decision-making.

Purpose: This study aims to examine the impact of demographic factors on the occurrence of dementia, anxiety and depression in individuals who have recovered from a COVID-19 infection.

Methods: This study aims to investigate individuals who are at risk of developing dementia, anxiety and depression following exposure to COVID-19. Ethics Committee approval was obtained from hospital (Ethics Committee-Unique Hospital, Surat, India) and University Research Ethics Committee approval was obtained from Dehradun Institute of Technology University, Dehradun, India (DITU/UREC/2022/04/6). Patients willingly participated in the study and signed the ICF as per their preferred language. Patient data was obtained from the hospital with the assistance of medical staff. The study included patients who met the specific criteria for participation, as determined by the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients who satisfy the eligibility conditions were obligated to complete the questionnaire. The data was examined based on the subject's responses.

Results: Exposure to COVID-19 has been linked to a heightened susceptibility to developing mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression and even dementia. Studies have demonstrated that persons who have acquired COVID-19 are more prone to developing various psychiatric disorders in comparison to those who have not been infected. Individuals with dementia encountered a decline in cognitive function and a rise in neuropsychiatric symptoms, including restlessness, confusion, irritability and lack of motivation, amidst the epidemic. Research has indicated that persons experiencing mild cognitive impairment or dementia exhibited elevated levels of despair and anxiety amongst the epidemic.

Conclusion: In this research study on the gender-specific effects of COVID-19 exposure on high-risk persons, development of dementia, anxiety and depression offers important new insights into the complex ways that the pandemic has affected mental health in different genders.