Phenomenon of psychosomatic symptoms among covid-19 patients: a systematic review

Objectives: Psychosomatic consequences - such as mental disorders which are sequelae of brain damage or illness - can arise either through the direct effects of CNS infection or indirectly through immune response or medical therapy.. Taking into account that the global prevalence of the depressive disorder is estimated to be around 3.44%, our results seem to suggest that the proportion of depression in the general population was 7 times higher during the COVID-19 outbreak. This implies the substantial impact of the current pandemic situation on mental health that individual and population-level strategies should target. Methods: This study was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines for reporting systematic review. A researcher looked for cross-sectional studies reporting the prevalence of depression published from January 1, 2020 to October 28, 2020 using MEDLINE, via PubMed, and Web of Science. Results: The papers we reviewed report an association between several variables and an increase in depression rates in the general population. Associations with several variables, such as suspected COVID-19 symptoms, contact with COVID-19, reported COVID-19 death rates in the area where respondents are located, poorer personal health status, and/or a history of chronic disease is estimated. Conclusion: The depression that occurs in these circumstances may rarely require pharmacological treatment, at least in the short term. The COVID-19 outbreak and situation of lockdown are extraordinary circumstances requiring significant personal and social adjustments.