Short report: COVID-19-related anxiety is associated with mental health problems among adults with rare disorders

Abstract

Background: For adults with rare disorders, COVID-19 can be more severe and deadlier. This may lead to anxiety about COVID-19 among adults with rare disorders, including worries about being infected. COVID-19 anxiety is linked with mental health problems in the general population.

Aims: To examine the levels of mental health problems and COVID-19 anxiety, and their association, among adults with rare disorders.

Methods and procedures: Adults with rare disorders (N = 58, M_age = 45.2 years, SD = 12.7, 69.0 % females, 31.0 % males) answered standardized mental health and COVID-19 anxiety questionnaires online. Their scores were compared with samples without rare disorders.

Outcomes and results: Mental health problems were higher than in a sample without rare disorders (effect size d = 1.14), as was COVID-19 anxiety (effect size d = 0.53). COVID-19 anxiety correlated significantly with mental health problems (r = 0.46). Controlling for age, gender, and work status, COVID-19 anxiety explained 16.1 % of the variance in mental health problems (ΔR² = 0.161, p = 0.001).

Conclusions and implications: COVID-19 anxiety is higher than norms and associated with mental health problems for adults with rare disorders. During the pandemic, clinicians are recommended to assess COVID-19 anxiety for patients with rare disorders.

Keywords: COVID-19 anxiety; COVID-19 pandemic; Mental health problems; Rare disorders.