Phenomenology of the COVID-19 Pandemic Experience in Patients Suffering from Chronic Schizophrenia—A Qualitative Analysis
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Participants and Procedure
2.2. Interviews
2.3. Analysis
- First reaction to information about the pandemic.
- Subjective assessment of the pandemic’s impact on patients’ mental health.
- Patients’ attitudes towards temporary limitations and lockdowns.
- Psychiatric treatment and psychotherapy during the pandemic.
3. Results
3.1. First Reaction to Information about the Pandemic
3.2. Subjective Assessment of the Pandemic’s Impact on Patients’ Mental Health
3.3. Patients’ Attitudes towards Temporary Limitations and Lockdowns
3.4. Psychiatric Treatment and Psychotherapy during the Pandemic
4. Discussion
Limitations and Future Directions
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Question | Expected Aspects of Patient’s Experience | Topic Covered by the Question (Extracted during the Analysis) |
---|---|---|
How do you perceive the COVID-19 pandemic? | General feelings and thoughts about the pandemic, patient’s main aspects of experience Difficulties and challenges caused by the pandemic | First reaction to information about the pandemic Subjective assessment of the pandemic’s impact on patients’ mental health and functioning |
How did you feel when the COVID-19 was declared a pandemic? | Feelings and thoughts that the patient experienced when the pandemic was first declared Subjective experience of the change in perception of the pandemic | First reaction to information about the pandemic |
Did you mental state changed since the pandemic started? How? | Experience of the pandemic, subjective assessment of the pandemic’s impact on patient’s mental health Subjective experience of the change in perception of the pandemic | Subjective assessment of the pandemic’s impact on patients’ mental health and functioning |
How do you feel about the temporary pandemic restrictions? Did you comply with them? | Patient’s point of view on the pandemic restrictions The perceived impact of the pandemic restrictions on patient’s life | Patients’ attitudes towards temporary limitations and lockdowns |
Did the limitations personally affect you? How? | Patient’s point of view on the pandemic restrictions The perceived impact of the pandemic restrictions on patient’s life | Patients’ attitudes towards temporary limitations and lockdowns |
How do you feel about your relationships during the pandemic? Did anything change? | The perceived impact of the pandemic on patient’s relationships Necessity to reorganize family life, possible conflicts, the perceived level of social support | Subjective assessment of the pandemic’s impact on patients’ mental health and functioning Patients’ attitudes towards temporary limitations and lockdowns |
Did you feel isolated during the pandemic? Did this feeling somehow change because of the pandemic? | The perceived impact of the pandemic on patient’s life and relationships, the perceived level of social support Experience of social isolation before the pandemic, subjective change in this feeling because of the pandemic | Subjective assessment of the pandemic’s impact on patients’ mental health and functioning Patients’ attitudes towards temporary limitations and lockdowns |
Can you see any benefits from the pandemic for your personal life? | The perceived changes in patient’s life caused by the pandemic, which might have beneficial impact The perceived level of social support | Subjective assessment of the pandemic’s impact on patients’ mental health and functioning |
Did you have access to psychotherapy or other forms of therapy before the pandemic? How did it change when the pandemic had started? How do you feel about the help that you received? | The perceived access to professional help in relation to patient’s needs in this matter Feelings and thoughts about telemedicine and its impact on patient’s mental health | Psychiatric treatment and psychotherapy during the pandemic Patients’ attitudes towards temporary limitations and lockdowns |
Did your psychiatrist change your pharmacological treatment during the pandemic? Why? | The perceived access to professional help Subjective assessment of the pandemic’s impact on patient’s mental health | Psychiatric treatment and psychotherapy during the pandemic Subjective assessment of the pandemic’s impact on patients’ mental health and functioning |
Patient | Gender | Age | Work | Living | Diagnosis | History of Illness | Treatment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
P1 | woman | 39 | no | with family | Paranoid schizophrenia (F20.0) | more than 10 years | Mental Health Clinic |
P2 | woman | 42 | yes | alone | Paranoid schizophrenia (F20.0) | more than 5 years | Mental Health Clinic |
P3 | man | 37 | yes | alone | Paranoid schizophrenia (F20.0) | more than 9 years | Mental Health Clinic |
P4 | man | 33 | no | alone | Paranoid schizophrenia (F20.0) | more than 14 years | Mental Health Clinic |
P5 | man | 44 | yes | with family | Paranoid schizophrenia (F20.0) | more than 13 years | Mental Health Clinic |
P6 | man | 39 | no | with family | Paranoid schizophrenia (F20.0) | more than 4 years | Day Ward |
P7 | man | 27 | no | with family | Paranoid schizophrenia (F20.0) | more than 9 years | Day Ward |
P8 | man | 38 | no | with partner | Paranoid schizophrenia (F20.0) | more than 11 years | Day Ward |
P9 | woman | 36 | no | with family | Paranoid schizophrenia (F20.0) | more than 18 years | Day Ward |
P10 | man | 32 | no | with family | Paranoid schizophrenia (F20.0) | more than 7 years | Day Ward |
Initial Reaction to the Pandemic | Subjective Impact of the Pandemic on Mental Health | Attitude towards Lockdown | Access to Psychiatrist and Psychologist | Subjective Assessment of Health Care |
---|---|---|---|---|
indifference | indifference | redundant limitations with negative impact | only psychiatric help | negative impact of breaks in therapy |
disbelief | negative impact of isolation on mood | rational and necessary limitations | psychiatric and psychological help with a break | importance of maintaining contact with specialists |
depression | negative impact of isolation on personal hygiene | anger | psychiatric and psychological help without a break | positive impact of phone therapy |
anxiety | increased fear of death | fully following the restrictions | telemedicine | need for psychotherapy |
gained social support | following only selected restrictions | break in occupational therapy workshops | no need for psychotherapy | |
psychotic relapse | changes in pharmacology | |||
anxiety | ||||
feelings of isolation and insecurity |
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Kotlarska, K.; Wielgus, B.; Cichocki, Ł. Phenomenology of the COVID-19 Pandemic Experience in Patients Suffering from Chronic Schizophrenia—A Qualitative Analysis. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 56. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010056
Kotlarska K, Wielgus B, Cichocki Ł. Phenomenology of the COVID-19 Pandemic Experience in Patients Suffering from Chronic Schizophrenia—A Qualitative Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(1):56. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010056
Chicago/Turabian StyleKotlarska, Katarzyna, Benita Wielgus, and Łukasz Cichocki. 2022. "Phenomenology of the COVID-19 Pandemic Experience in Patients Suffering from Chronic Schizophrenia—A Qualitative Analysis" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 1: 56. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010056
APA StyleKotlarska, K., Wielgus, B., & Cichocki, Ł. (2022). Phenomenology of the COVID-19 Pandemic Experience in Patients Suffering from Chronic Schizophrenia—A Qualitative Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(1), 56. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010056