Psychological effects of infectious disease
The psychological effects of infectious diseases are profound and multifaceted, impacting not only physical health but also emotional and social well-being. Individuals infected with diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites often experience significant mental health challenges, including generalized stress, panic, and depression. For many, the emotional burden of being ill can overshadow the physical symptoms, leading to a range of depressive symptoms such as fatigue, cognitive difficulties, and feelings of isolation.
Healthcare workers, tasked with managing outbreaks, face unique stressors related to stigmatization and the implementation of public health measures like quarantine. Social and cultural factors also play a critical role in shaping an individual's experience with disease; for instance, stigma can prevent individuals from seeking treatment, while community support can enhance acceptance and adherence to medical advice. Historical and contemporary outbreaks, such as tuberculosis and SARS, highlight how fear and misinformation can exacerbate psychological distress.
As understanding of these dynamics evolves, strategies that promote mental well-being, such as clear communication and community engagement, have been identified as essential in mitigating the psychological impact of infectious diseases. Addressing these psychological aspects is crucial for fostering resilience and improving overall quality of life for affected individuals.
Psychological effects of infectious disease
Definition
Acquiring an infectious disease can affect perceptions of health, medical care, and quality of life. Indeed, some persons experience the social and emotional burdens of being sick as worse than the physical illness itself.
Infectious diseases are caused by pathogenic organisms, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Because these diseases are contagious, infected persons face powerful psychological disorders such as generalized stress, panic, post-traumatic stress, and depression. Health care workers face extra challenges in containing outbreaks with techniques such as vaccination or quarantine, which is stigmatizing.
The Psychological Symptoms
People with infectious diseases may experience a variety of depressive symptoms, such as fatigue, slowed motor action, anorexia, drowsiness, muscle aches, cognitive problems, and depressed mood. In studies, depressed mood and neurological impairments were reported by people with viral infections such as the common cold and influenza. People infected with herpesvirus, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) also experienced depressed mood and neurological impairments.
Older persons who are HIV-positive are often at risk for social isolation and stress. HIV-positive persons in all age groups grapple with mental illnesses, especially depression. Persons with tuberculosis (TB) face the risks of delayed treatment or refusal of treatment. One study showed that 72 percent of persons with TB were worried, frustrated, or disappointed about their diagnosis, and that 28 percent did not initially believe their diagnosis. Persons also feared spreading the disease to others and feared the economic impact of their illness on their families. A 2021 study published in Society for Health Psychology found that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was very common in people exposed to trauma resulting from infectious disease outbreaks. PTSD rates across the study's demographics ranged from 24.20 percent to 28.83 percent.
A health-related quality-of-life tool evaluated the health status of those who are HIV-positive, who reported psychic trauma, low levels of social support, and lower quality of physical and mental health. Persons diagnosed with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) reported posttraumatic stress disorder and depression.
The Social and Cultural Symptoms
Persons in a tuberculosis study reported that they were afraid to inform employers about their illness, fearing the loss of their jobs. However, persons in the study who received transportation tokens and food vouchers, for example, were more willing to accept a diagnosis of TB; they were satisfied with the treatment and with their overall quality of life.
Another study of persons with tuberculosis found that some perceived respiratory isolation as peaceful; the majority, however, felt lonely, confined, and abandoned. In some cultures, TB is seen as a punishment for sins, with all family members implicated. This study concluded that persons with TB were more likely to accept their disease when cultural acceptance was common.
A study of infant diarrhea in Brazil showed the importance of respecting indigenous beliefs. If families do not trust medical staff, they will avoid treatment. Researchers in Nigeria found that traditional folk remedies were effective in slowing the development of parasites that cause malaria. Medical anthropologists can help break down communication barriers between cultures, in an effort to eradicate infectious disease. This has been most successful in the case of smallpox.
Infectious diseases such as plague and smallpox, along with viral and bacterial infections, have caused more deaths than wars, natural disasters, and noninfectious diseases combined. Because of their magnitude, epidemics of infectious diseases such as measles, influenza, and malaria have led to political, social, economic, and psychological disruptions. The most common contemporary response to epidemic is quarantine, a policy that may inflict psychological, emotional, and financial hardships on persons at risk. Persons under quarantine report feelings of isolation, depression, and posttraumatic stress.
During a SARS outbreak in Toronto, infected persons were quarantined at home, unable to leave or have visitors. They were instructed to wear masks when they were in a room with family members, had to avoid sharing any personal items, and had to wash their hands frequently. All persons quarantined experienced a sense of isolation.
When epidemics are being addressed, government health services should set the right tone in the discussion to gain citizen trust and cooperation. The disease in question should be presented as serious enough to warrant action but not so grave as to cause panic.
Impact
The psychological impact of an outbreak of infectious disease can be mitigated by modifying perceptions. Researchers and mainstream practitioners have reached a better understanding of the importance of a person’s mental well-being in cases of infectious disease. Disturbances such as stress and depression can be minimized when warnings avoid panic, when treatment appears to be in accord with the person’s belief systems, and when there is support from family and community.
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