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Psychopathologies in post-COVID outpatients differ from a psychosomatic control sample in a cross-sectional study
Gloria-Beatrice Wintermann1, Malte Hahnfeld2, Maria Lenk2
1Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Fetscherstr. 74, Dresden, 01307, Germany. Gloria.Wintermann@uniklinikum-dresden.de.
Discover Mental Health
|May 20, 2026
Summary
Post-COVID patients exhibit distinct somatoform processing mechanisms compared to general psychosomatic patients. Early intervention for mental disorders in post-COVID care is crucial to prevent chronicity.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Long COVID Research
Background:
- Post-COVID condition (post-COVID) affects 3-6% of SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals, presenting with somatic and psychological symptoms.
- Limited research differentiates post-COVID patients from those with psychosomatic disorders, particularly regarding mental health conditions.
- Understanding factors influencing psychological symptoms in post-COVID is vital for targeted interventions and destigmatization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare sociodemographic, clinical, and psychopathological characteristics of post-COVID patients with those of general psychosomatic patients.
- To identify factors associated with psychological symptom burden and work incapacity in post-COVID patients.
- To elucidate the distinctiveness of post-COVID patients in relation to psychosomatic disorders.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study compared 357 post-COVID patients with 991 general psychosomatic patients at a university hospital's psychosomatic clinic.
- Clinical diagnoses (ICD-10), somatic symptom severity, and depressive/anxiety symptoms (PHQ-D) were assessed.
- Regression analyses and statistical tests were employed to analyze outcomes and associated factors in the post-COVID group.
Main Results:
- Post-COVID patients showed significantly higher somatic symptom severity (PHQ-15) and multimorbidity.
- An elevated risk for somatoform disorders was observed in post-COVID patients, with reduced risks for anxiety, affective, and personality disorders.
- Female gender, multimorbidity, prior psychotherapy, and stress were linked to increased psychological symptoms in post-COVID patients.
Conclusions:
- Post-COVID patients represent a distinct group with predominant somatoform processing mechanisms, differing from general psychosomatic patients.
- Mental disorders require significant consideration in post-COVID treatment strategies.
- Early intervention is recommended to mitigate the risk of chronicity in post-COVID conditions.
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