Impact of the COVID pandemic on people with schizophrenia

Medicine & Science A research group led by Matthäus Fellinger from the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at MedUni Vienna investigated the impact of the COVID pandemic on the lives and treatment of people with schizophrenic psychosis. The study was published in the renowned International Journal of Social Psychiatry. Within the context of the study, schizophrenia patients in outpatient, day-care and inpatient care settings were interviewed about their personal experiences during the pandemic using specially developed qualitative in-depth interviews. The researchers discovered that the pandemic and the associated preventive measures led to a significant reduction in everyday activities and social interactions for the mental health of the study participants. Furthermore, the pandemic situation was experienced in an atmosphere of unfamiliarity and threat. In addition, relevant bio-psycho-social support systems either stopped their services temporarily or offered alternatives (e.g. tele-care) that were perceived as unhelpful.