Assessing the Fear of Covid-19 in Psychiatric Patients: Results from an Italian Multicentric Study

Even though the COVID-19 emergency has concluded, its consequences are still relevant. Recent evidence suggests that a significant proportion of individuals experience persistent symptoms long after the initial infection has resolved, classified as "Long COVID" condition. Fear of COVID-19 increases anxiety and stress levels in healthy individuals and exacerbates the symptoms of those with pre-existing psychiatric disorders; therefore understanding the impact of the pandemic on psychiatric disorders remains of utmost importance. The present study aimed at assessing the prevalence and predictive factors of fear of COVID-19 in a sample of patients with different psychiatric conditions.

A sample of 269 psychiatric patients were recruited from two different tertiary clinics in Italy and assessed with the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S). In order to compare patients with a significant fear of COVID-19 or without (Fear+ vs. Fear-) and to identify the main features in terms of clinical dimension, exploratory and predictive analysis were performed.

Female gender, age at illness onset, and insight levels emerged as positive predictors of FCV-19S. Conversely, current substance abuse emerged as a negative predictor of fear levels. Moreover, significantly lower FCV-19S scores were observed in patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

Specific sociodemographic and clinical factors predicted higher levels of fear of COVID-19 in psychiatric patients. Further studies are warranted to determine the potential long-term consequences of the COVID-19 impact on mental health.