[COVID in a 'psychiatric nursing home']

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Psychiatry
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology
• Public Health

Context:

• Severe mental illnesses increase COVID-19 mortality risk.
• Limited research exists on COVID-19 outcomes in nursing home residents with severe mental illnesses, termed 'double care demanding patients'.
• These patients ideally reside in specialized gerontopsychiatric wards within mental health and nursing home facilities, such as 'psychiatric nursing homes' (PNH).

Purpose:

• To compare COVID-19 mortality rates between residents of psychiatric nursing homes (PNH) and general nursing homes (GNH) after initial vaccination.
• To investigate the impact of specialized care settings on mortality outcomes for 'double care demanding patients' post-COVID-19 infection.

Summary:

• A study included 54 PNH residents and 169 GNH residents who contracted COVID-19 within four weeks of their first vaccination.
• Mortality analysis using Cox regression revealed a lower unadjusted risk of 30-day and 180-day mortality for PNH residents.
• After adjusting for confounders, no significant differences in 30-day or 180-day mortality risk were observed between PNH and GNH residents.

Impact:

• Findings suggest that specialized care settings like PNH may not significantly alter COVID-19 mortality compared to GNH for this population.
• Highlights the need for further investigation into the health outcomes of 'double care demanding patients' with a focus on integrated care models.
• Provides evidence to inform public health strategies and care management for vulnerable individuals in long-term care facilities during pandemics.