Percepción de enfermedad y síntomas de ansiedad y depresión en pacientes hospitalizados por COVID-19 en una clínica privada

Raquel Pinto-Llerena; Nora Nina-Huisa; Natalie Sosa-Tafur; Ruth Llerena-Benites; Juan Huaccho-Rojas

doi:10.21142/mecp.2026.1.3.%p

Authors

Raquel Pinto-Llerena Facultad de Medicina Humana, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Perú. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9484-1526
Nora Nina-Huisa Facultad de Medicina Humana, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Perú. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8358-5117
Natalie Sosa-Tafur Universidad San Martín de Porres, Facultad de Medicina Humana, Filial Norte, Chiclayo, Perú. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3776-8403
Ruth Llerena-Benites Department of Psychiatry, Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, Bronx, Nueva York, Estados Unidos. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0010-696X
Juan Huaccho-Rojas Facultad de Medicina Humana, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Perú; CHANGE Research Working Group, Carrera de Medicina Humana, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Perú. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3902-3520

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21142/mecp.2026.1.3.%25p

Keywords:

Anxiety, Depression, COVID-19, Hospitalization, Perception

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the association between illness perception and clinically relevant symptoms of anxiety and depression among patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in a private clinic. Methods: An observational, analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted between September 2020 and April 2021. Illness perception was assessed using the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ), and anxiety and depression symptoms were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Cut-off scores of 0-7, 8-10, and 11-21 were used to define absence, mild/moderate symptoms, and clinically relevant symptoms, respectively. Crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using Poisson regression with robust variance. Results: A total of 226 hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 were included. 46.0% of participants presented clinically relevant symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. In the HADS subscales, 27.0% had clinically relevant anxiety symptoms and 54.0% had mild/moderate anxiety symptoms; 39.4% had clinically relevant depression symptoms and 52.7% had mild/moderate depression symptoms. The total BIPQ score was associated with clinically relevant symptoms of anxiety and/or depression (aPR: 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01-1.02). Age, work modality, isolation, economic difficulties, and educational level were also associated. Conclusions: Illness perception was associated with clinically relevant symptoms of anxiety and/or depression among patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Assessing perceived illness threat and emotional symptoms may contribute to more comprehensive hospital care, including in the clinical context following the international COVID-19 emergency.

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