PSYCHOREHABILITATION IN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. Review

Abstract

Relevance. Mental health disorders are one of the most important side effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and psychorehabilitation is seen as a key challenge in the fight against the pandemic. Objective is to study modern approaches to the psychorehabilitation of people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods. Analysis of data presented in PubMed by keywords "COVID psychological effects" and "rehabilitation", 2020-2021. Results. During isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people with mental health desorders increased by 12.9%, and the number of people with depressive symptoms increased by 10%. After the acute phase of COVID-19, “COVID-19-Long Syndrome” developed - a set of persistent physical, cognitive and / or psychological symptoms that lasted more than 12 weeks after illness and could not be explained by an alternative diagnosis. Healthcare workers who experienced physical pain, psychological distress, and death were more likely to develop secondary traumatic stress. The combination of burnout, injury, and frustration caused in medical staff to feel "hopeless with compassion." At the same time, the risk of developing anxiety was higher than in the general population. Patients with COVID-19 may need even more psychological support than regular intensive care patients. Therefore, rehabilitation, especially of critically ill patients, should be carried out by a multidisciplinary team. First, a short telephone sorting is performed. After the initial screening, patients are identified who need further assessment of mental health. At the 2nd stage of screening, patients who need psychorehabilitation are identified by telephone testing. The patient is met online or offline for 4 weeks with a mental health professional, if necessary - cognitive testing, and therapy is started. With regard to medical workers, the use of a strategy of psychological crisis intervention is envisaged. Conclusions. Patients with "long-term COVID" have a wide range of physical and mental / psychological symptoms. The most common are fatigue, shortness of breath, memory loss, anxiety and sleep disorders, and poor quality of life. It is better to use online interventions to rehabilitate patients with mild and moderate mental disorders. The most effective interventions: dosed information with or without professional psychological support and, to a lesser extent, in combination with psychopharmacological support.