Psychiatric morbidities and Coping strategies in patients with different Coronavirus disease-2019 severities and chronic medical diseases: A multicenter cross-sectional study

COVID-19 patients, especially those with chronic medical illnesses (CMI), may use different coping strategies, to reduce their psychological distress while facing the COVID-19 infection. The aim was to compare anxiety, depression and coping styles between patients infected with COVID-19 disease with and without CMI during the peak of COVID-19 disease in Egypt. This is a cross sectional study, that included an online survey consisting of Arabic versions of General Health Questionnaire-12, Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale (TMAS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Brief-COPE scale. Questionnaires were distributed to adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection during their quarantine in Egypt. One hundred ninety-nine patients responded to the survey, where 46.73% of them had CMI. Religion, emotional support, use of informational support and acceptance were the most used coping strategies by participants. Avoidant coping strategies were frequently used by divorced patients, home quarantined individuals, patients who developed COVID-19 related anxiety/depression and patients who didn’t receive hydroxyl-chloroquine. Approach strategies were frequently used by patients with mild COVID-19. Understanding the used coping strategies has implications for how individuals might be helped to manage their illness during the current presentation and intervene with development of serious long-term mental health conditions.