Dear Readers,
The COVID-19 pandemic has turned our clinical and scientific work and everyday life upside down. Right now, it has been over a year since the introduction of the outbreak alert. New challenges regarding the disease itself, its complications and consequences have been recognized, including both direct implications, such as increased incidence of thromboembolic episodes, chronic fatigue syndrome, and neurocognitive disturbances, and indirect ones, including higher indices of depression and anxiety among healthcare professionals and families of the deceased due to COVID-19 [1, 2]. The increasing loneliness rates related to compulsory isolation appear to be particu larly detrimental, especially at this point [3].
We therefore would like to present this special issue
of Advances in Psychiatry and Neurology, entitled “A year in a new world – biopsychosocial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic”. We present both original work and review articles. The call for papers for this special issue has drawn a lot of attention and we have received many proposals for articles. Unfortunately, not all of them are published in the current issue. Due to such a great level of interest and high number of valuable contributions, we had to move several of the papers to the following issue of the journal. We are glad that the scope of the accepted articles is wide and related to important pandemic-related matters.
During the outbreak, a new concept, regarding the psychological construct of psychological consequences related to the fear of being infected with SARS-CoV-2, emerged. The special issue starts with an article by Chod kiewicz and Gola on the Polish adaptation of questionnaires assessing fear of COVID-19 and death anxiety [4]. Additionally, we publish preliminary results of a study investigating coronavirus anxiety as a risk factor for depression, burnout and insomnia among nurses [5].
The current knowledge indicates that infection with SARS-CoV-2 may involve a psychiatric component. This topic was investigated by Khanpara et al. in a naturalistic, cross-sectional study [6].
Compulsory isolation and remote studying took their particular toll on children and adolescents. We present an original study by Sikorska et al. concerning the relationship between physical activity and mental health among adolescents during the lockdown [7]. Moreover, Klesz czewska-Albińska proposes, in her review, a framework for professional and non-professional help for adolescents to cope with consequences of social isolation [8].
There is no doubt that the brain is one of the affected organs following coronavirus infection and certain changes to cognitive functioning have been recognized. The neuropsychological consequences of COVID-19 and a need for systematic research on this topic are discussed in a review by Łojek et al. [9]. In another article, Szponar and Matczuk review the possible association between nutritional factors and the course of the coronavirus disease [10].
The impact of the pandemic on clinical practice itself in different specialties can also be seen. Pajor analyzes the specific effects on the practice of psychiatry in a review [11].
We once again would like to thank all the authors for their truly valuable contributions. The topics remain important and up-to-date.
Łukasz Mokros
Editor of the Special Issue, Deputy Editor
Piotr Świtaj
Editor-in-Chief of the Journal
References
1. Baka Ł. Coronavirus anxiety and exhaustion among Polish front-line health-care workers. Mediation effect of insomnia. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2021; 34: 263-273.
2.
Pappa S, Ntella V, Giannakas T, Giannakoulis VG, Papoutsi E, Katsaounou P. Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and insomnia among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
3.
Brain Behav Immun 2020; 88: 901-907.
4.
Rossi R, Socci V, Talevi D, Mensi S, Niolu C, Pacitti F, et al. COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures impact on mental health among the general population in Italy. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11: 790.
5.
Chodkiewicz J, Gola M. Fear of COVID-19 and death anxiety: Polish adaptations of scales. Adv Psychiatry Neurol 2021; 30: 61-72.
6.
Mokros Ł, Januszczak J, Baka Ł, Sienkiewicz-Jarosz H, Świtaj P. Coronavirus anxiety as a predictor of burnout, depressive symptoms and insomnia among professionally active nurses: a preliminary report. Adv Psychiatry Neurol 2021; 30: 96-103.
7.
Khanpara BG, Patel BR, Mehta P, Chaudhary P, Ravtani N. Characteristics of psychiatric manifestations among hospitalized COVID-19 patients and their correlation with disease severity – a cross sectional study. Adv Psychiatry Neurol 2021; 30: 73-78.
8.
Sikorska I, Lipp N, Wróbel P, Wyra M. Adolescent mental health and activities in the period of social isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Adv Psychiatry Neurol 2021; 30: 79-95.
9.
Kleszczewska-Albińska A. The functioning of adolescents during quarantine – the role of non-professional and professional support in overcoming the problem of social isolation. Adv Psychiatry Neurol 2021; 30: 122-129.
10.
Łojek E, Egbert AR, Gambin M, Gawron N, Gorgol J, Hansen K, et al. Neuropsychological disorders after COVID-19. Urgent need for research and clinical practice. Adv Psychiatry Neurol 2021; 30: 104-112.
11.
Szponar L, Matczuk E. SARS-CoV-2: Nutritional determinants of reducing the risk of infection of the central nervous system. Adv Psychiatry Neurol 2021; 30: 130-140.
12.
Pajor P. Psychiatry in the time of the pandemic. Is COVID-19 changing the discipline? Adv Psychiatry Neurol 2021; 30: 113-121.
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