Mental status in patients with cerebral infarction in central China at the early stage of coronavirus disease-19 pandemic

Aims: The study aimed to analyze the changes in mental health and social support in patients with cerebral infarction during the recovery period at the early stage of coronavirus disease pandemic. Subjects and Methods: During January–March 2020, 98 patients with cerebral infarction during the recovery period were selected from Wuhan city. Among them, 42 patients were living alone (called the solitary group) and 56 patients lived with their spouses (called the spouse group). The Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) were used to evaluate anxiety and depression, respectively, and Multi-Dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), social support for patients. Statistical Analysis Used: The statistical calculations were carried out using GraphPad Prism 5.01 software (GraphPad, San Diego, California, USA). Results: At the early stage of the pandemic, patients with cerebral infarction in the solitary group and the spouse group experienced varying degrees of anxiety and depression. The SAS and SDS scores in the solitary group were significantly higher than those in the spouse group (P < 0.01). The subscale scores of MSPSS in the solitary group were lower than those in the spouse group (P < 0.01). Conclusions: It is necessary for medical staff to help the patients to overcome anxiety and depression and provide more social support to patients, especially for those patients living alone.