Study on the Impact of Telehealth for COVID-19 Patients in Korea
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Korean government allowed full-scale telehealth care for safety and usability. However, there’s limited research on how telehealth affects the physical and mental health of COVID-19 patients in Korea.
Purpose of the Study
This study aimed to identify different patterns of depressive symptoms in COVID-19 patients using data collected from a contactless clinical trial conducted through telehealth.
Methods
- 199 COVID-19 patients participated in the contactless clinical trial using telehealth from March 23 to July 20, 2022.
- Depressive symptoms were assessed at the start and end of quarantine, and one month after release using the patient health questionnaire-9.
- Acute COVID-19 symptoms were evaluated daily during quarantine.
- A statistical model was used to identify different patterns of depressive symptoms and their associations with COVID-19 symptoms.
Results
Two patterns of depressive symptoms were identified: declining at a slow rate and increasing over time.
Specific COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, chest pain, and brain fog one month after release from quarantine were strongly associated with worsening depressive symptoms. Sleeping difficulty and gastrointestinal symptoms also showed an association with worsening depressive symptoms.
Conclusion
Early detection of depressive symptoms in COVID-19 patients using telemedicine is crucial. Active intervention, including digital therapeutics, may help patients with worsening depressive symptoms.