Catherine M. Tansey of the University Health Network in Toronto, and colleagues, evaluated 117 patients who got sick from SARS and published the finding in the June 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. In Toronto in 2003, 44 people died from SARS, 387 people got sick and thousands spent weeks in quarantine.
The study found that SARS survivors used heath care services frequently the first year after hospitalization with "psychiatric evaluation accounted for the greatest number of visits," the authors wrote.
Caregivers of SARS patients experienced a decline in mental health as well, which was caused by reported lifestyle interference and loss of control.
After one year, it was reported that 17 per cent of patients had not returned to work and nine per cent did not return to their pre-SARS level of work.
The author wrote, "these data may help to highlight the needs of patients and caregivers during and after an epidemic, the potential benefit of a family-centered approach to follow-up care, and the importance of exploring strategies to minimize the psychological burden of an epidemic illness as part of future pandemic planning initiatives."
