POST-COVID COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AMONG GENERAL POPULATION OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA: PAKISTAN

OBJECTIVE: To assess and compare the cognitive functioning of post-Covid patient with non-Covid person among the general population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from January to May 2021. Sample of 500 community members, including both post-Covid and non-Covid, from population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Male and female with age of 18-64 years were included, age less than 18 years, having any nervous system or psychiatric illness or previous known cognitive impairment were excluded from the study. Validated Cognitive Functioning Self Reporting Scale (CFSS) questionnaire was used. Data was analyzed through SPSS V.25. RESULTS: Out of 600 approached, 500 (83.3%) participants responded to online questionnaire. Mean age of participants was 45+or-22 years, Majority (n=174: 34.7%) of participants were from 31- 40 years' age group. Hypertension (n=33;6.6%) and Diabetes Mellitus (n=30;6%) were the most common comorbid conditions;while 378 (75.6%) had no comorbidities. Mean CFSS values was 38.4+or-11.5 and 42.2+or-12.04 for male (n=230) and female (n=270) participants respectively. Based on standard cut off values of CFSS, mild, moderate and severe cognitive impairment was observed in 46 (24.8%), 127 (68.6%) and 12 (6.4%) cases of post-COVID and 19 (20.4%), 73 (78.4%) and 1 (1.0%) cases of non-COVID participants having no comorbidities. CONCLUSION: Cognitive performance was moderately affected among post COVID patients as compared to non-Covid population, compromising daily executive functioning as well as other elements of mental health such as attention, memory, spatial functioning & inhibition.