Psychological outcomes of dengue fever among individuals: A scoping review

Dengue fever (DF) is recognized as an acute infectious disease primarily characterized by physical symptoms such as headache and joint pain. However, this disease can also have significant psychological outcomes for affected individuals in addition to its physical complications. A scoping review was conducted to comprehensively examine the available studies on the psychological outcomes of DF. This was a scoping review conducted to examine the psychological outcomes of DF. A search was performed across multiple databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, using a set of keywords related to the psychological outcomes of DF, covering the period from 2000 to 2024. Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, 14 studies were selected, encompassing case-control, cross-sectional, cohort, descriptive, preventive, and interventional studies. A total of 6479 documents were retrieved, of which 22 met the eligibility criteria, and finally, 14 were included in the review. The findings indicate that the psychological outcomes of DF can be both short-term (such as anxiety and insomnia) and long-term (such as obsessive-compulsive disorders and suicidal tendencies) among people with different spectrums of age. The review revealed that more than half of the patients exhibited anxiety-related symptoms during the acute phase of the illness, with symptom severity decreasing as physical recovery progressed. Additionally, dengue patients demonstrated a significant risk of developing depressive disorders in both the short and long terms. Among children, age and duration of hospitalization were found to be associated with stress, depression, and anxiety. The findings of the present study revealed that various levels of disease prognosis in individuals with dengue infection significantly impact mental health and can lead to psychological disorders such as stress, depression, and anxiety. Therefore, policymakers should develop psychological interventions based on appropriate psychological theories for recovered patients. Additionally, healthcare providers should be aware of mood disorders associated with DF and facilitate timely referrals to mental health services.