Association of PTSD with COVID-19 testing and infection in the Veterans Health Administration.

ABSTRACT: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) risk factors, such as hypertension and obesity. Associations between PTSD and COVID-19 outcomes may affect Veterans Health Administration (VA) services, as PTSD occurs at higher rates among veterans than the general population. While previous research has identified the potential for increased PTSD prevalence resulting from COVID-19 as a public health concern, no known research examines the effect of pre-existing PTSD on COVID-19 test-seeking behavior or infection. This study aimed to evaluate pre-existing PTSD as a predictor of COVID-19 testing and test positivity. The sample consisted of 6,721,407 veterans who sought VA care between March 1, 2018 and February 29, 2020. Veterans with a previous PTS

SUBMITTER: Haderlein TP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7682935 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature