Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Psychiatric Patients at Clinical Trial Sites.

Introduction: Recent research on the COVID-19 pandemic suggests that individuals who suffer from serious mental illness (SMI) are at heightened risk of infection and have increased mortality due to their illness and/or lack of access to healthcare. Consequently, progress in developing new treatments for SMIs has been disrupted, with many interruptions to clinical trials in psychiatry due to concerns regarding the pandemic and its risks to patients with SMI.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with SMI, specifically relating to psychiatric morbidity, pandemic-induced stress, and ability to cope with pandemic-related precautionary measures, restrictions, and disruptions to daily life.

Design: A cross-sectional survey study of 94 clinical trial patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder (MDD), or schizophrenia was conducted in three geographically distinct clinical trial sites between June and September 2020. Prevalence rates were calculated for sample characteristics and demographics, and low versus high stress groups were compared on survey variables using Pearson's Chi-squared test of independence.

Results: The results from the surveys indicated that COVID-19 knowledge, awareness, and the use of precautionary safety measures (e.g., handwashing, personal protective equipment [PPE], and social distancing) were robust and mirrored the general population. While the majority of patients reported experiencing moderate or extreme levels of distress (61.5%, n=56), high levels of stress were correlated with positive coping skills.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that clinical trial patients with SMI can safely participate in clinical trials despite the increase safety risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.