Butler, Matt, Abdat, Yasmin, Zandi, Michael, Michael, Benedict D 
ORCID: 0000-0002-8693-8926, Coutinho, Ester, Nicholson, Timothy R, Easton, Ava and Pollak, Thomas A
(2023)
Mental health outcomes of encephalitis: An international web-based study.
European journal of neurology, 31 (1).
e16083-.
Abstract
<h4>Background and purpose</h4>Acute encephalitis is associated with psychiatric symptoms. Despite this, the extent of mental health problems following encephalitis has not been systematically reported.<h4>Methods</h4>We recruited adults who had been diagnosed with encephalitis of any aetiology to complete a web-based questionnaire.<h4>Results</h4>In total, 445 respondents from 31 countries (55.1% UK, 23.1% USA) responded. Infectious encephalitis constituted 65.4% of cases, autoimmune 29.7%. Mean age was 50.1 years, 65.8% were female, and median time since encephalitis diagnosis was 7 years. The most common self-reported psychiatric symptoms were anxiety (75.2%), sleep problems (64.4%), mood problems (62.2%), and unexpected crying (35.2%). Self-reported psychiatric diagnoses were common: anxiety (44.0%), depression (38.6%), panic disorder (15.7%), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; 21.3%). Severe mental illnesses such as psychosis (3.3%) and bipolar affective disorder (3.1%) were reported. Self-reported diagnosis rates were broadly consistent with results from the Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire. Many respondents also reported they had symptoms of anxiety (37.5%), depression (28.1%), PTSD (26.8%), or panic disorder (20.9%) that had not been diagnosed. Rates of psychiatric symptoms did not differ between autoimmune and infectious encephalitis. In total, 37.5% respondents had thought about suicide, and 4.4% had attempted suicide, since their encephalitis diagnosis. More than half of respondents (53.5%) reported they had no, or substandard, access to appropriate mental health care. High rates of sensory hypersensitivities (>75%) suggest a previously unreported association.<h4>Conclusions</h4>This large international survey indicates that psychiatric symptoms following encephalitis are common and that mental health care provision may be inadequate. We highlight a need for proactive psychiatric input.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Humans, Encephalitis, Anxiety Disorders, Internet, Adult, Middle Aged, Female, Male, Infectious Encephalitis, Outcome Assessment, Health Care |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences |
| Depositing User: | Symplectic Admin |
| Date Deposited: | 16 Oct 2023 09:40 |
| Last Modified: | 05 Jan 2024 10:35 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/ene.16083 |
| Open Access URL: | https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/en... |
| Related URLs: | |
| URI: | https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3173755 |
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