For a study, researchers sought to summarise the existing research on the psychological effects of the 2019 coronavirus illness (COVID-19) on people with allergy conditions and highlight any areas that still require further study. Case studies, published guidelines from expert groups specializing in allergic diseases, mixed-method studies documenting patient and caregiver experiences, and original publications and abstracts employing online and telephone surveys were included. Risk factors for unfavorable psychological outcomes in people with asthma and other chronic respiratory illnesses include asthma severity, female sex, and a history of anxiety and depression. It was probably because of the perception of a high risk of serious illness from COVID-19. According to one study, individuals with allergic rhinitis scored significantly higher on anxiety and depression than healthy controls (P<.001). Parents and other caregivers during COVID-19 were most affected psychologically by food allergies. The psychological toll on parents of children with asthma was also significant. Patients with asthma experienced significant psychological effects from COVID-19. Little information has been published on the effects of COVID-19 on patients with allergic rhinitis and food allergies. It was crucial that doctors were aware of the potential link between mental illness and chronic allergic diseases and referred these patients, and their caregivers, to the appropriate resources while continuing to manage their allergic disease as COVID-19 research continues to advance and the literature captures later stages of the pandemic.
Source – sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1081120621013107
