Mental illness can lead to breakthrough COVID

Individuals with certain mental illnesses may be at increased risk of developing a breakthrough COVID-19 infection, even though they are fully vaccinated, according to a new study from the University of California, San Francisco. ..

A study published in an online medical journal on Thursday JAMA networkWe analyzed data from the Department of Veterans Affairs, 263,697 fully vaccinated individuals. Over half of these patients have had depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, alcohol dependence, substance abuse, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, psychiatric disorders, attention deficiencies and / or psychiatric disorders over the past five years. Had at least one psychological examination. Hyperactivity, dissociative identity disorder and eating disorders.

Over 14% of those included in the study develop a breakthrough COVID infection, and individuals diagnosed with at least one mental illness have a 7% higher incidence of breakthrough cases than those who do not. rice field.

Taking into account demographic factors and pre-existing conditions, participants with mental illness have a 3% increased risk of breakthrough COVID infection in 2021 compared to participants without a history of psychosis. bottom.

Researchers have also adjusted the modeling to take into account different socio-economic backgrounds, ages, races, and even specific psychiatric diagnoses.

“In all samples of confounding-adjusted models across specific psychiatric disorders, each was associated with an increased incidence of breakthrough infections,” the researchers wrote in part. “Estimates have diminished in size, but remained significant for most individual disorders, further considering medical conditions, obesity, and smoking.”

Adjustment disorder defined by Johns Hopkins Substance use disorders were associated with the highest rates of breakthrough infections as “emotional or behavioral responses to stressful events and changes in human life.” Psychotic disorder, Cause affected people “Loss of contact with reality” due to delusions and hallucinations is the only disorder not associated with a breakthrough increase in COVID-19 infection rate when adjusted for factors such as medical conditions, obesity, and smoking across all age groups. It was a classification of.

Individuals under the age of 65 with psychotic disorders are 10% less likely to actually develop breakthrough infections than those without a diagnosis, but individuals over the age of 65 with psychotic disorders. Individuals were 23% more likely to be infected with COVID despite being vaccinated. ..

Senior research author Aoife O’Donovan found that divisions between two age groups diagnosed with psychotic disorders may have lower levels of socialization in younger people compared to those over 65 years of age. thinking about. Illness and contact with caregivers. “

The results begin to diverge, especially when stratified by age, and the psychiatric diagnosis of young individuals is “not related to the incidence of breakthrough infections”, especially if fully adapted to other medical comorbidities. ..

Elderly people with a psychiatric diagnosis were at increased risk of breakthrough infections compared to young adults, except for post-traumatic stress disorders and alcohol use disorders.

Patients over the age of 65 diagnosed with substance abuse, psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, adjustment disorder, and anxiety experience a breakthrough COVID infection compared to patients without a psychotic diagnosis. The chances were up to 24% higher. Individuals under the age of 65 and in the same mental health were 11% more likely to have breakthrough cases.

“The risk of breakthrough infections associated with substance abuse, adjustment disorder, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder was all higher in the younger cohort than in undiagnosed peers – 11% and 9 respectively. %, 4%, 3%. “Studies were found.

Although not clearly proven, there are several possible reasons why people with mental illness may be at increased risk of developing a breakthrough COVID infection.Many previous studies have shown that people with poor mental health tend to be “disabled.” Immune function When Poor response to vaccineVaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 virus suggests that vaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 virus may also reduce efficacy in people with mental illness.

Diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes both increase an individual’s risk of developing COVID and are more prevalent among people with mental illness, which is another complex risk factor for the population. is. And finally, Previous research In addition, UCSF has found that people with mental illness are more likely to engage in behaviors that take certain risks that may increase their risk of being infected with the virus.

“Our study suggests that the increase in breakthrough infections in people with mental illness cannot be fully explained by sociodemographic factors or pre-existing conditions,” Odnovan said. Said to. “Post-vaccination immunity can weaken more quickly or more strongly for people with mental illness, and / or they can have less protection against new mutants.”

Researchers noted that the study has some limitations, especially the source of the data, because management and electronic recording “lacks detail and can lead to remaining confounding or misclassification”. .. Also, because this study relied on a breakthrough case of COVID-19 reported to VA, it is possible that the patient missed another case that was examined at home or at another facility or was asymptomatic. There is sex.

The majority of the people included in this study were men around the age of 66. That is, the data may be biased towards that particular population.