SynthesisAustralasian psychiatry : bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists2023
Somatic symptoms associated with mental distress during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review.
Synthesis in Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06635278 (Effect of Mindfulness Meditation on Perceived Stress, Somatic Symptoms and Inflammatory Biomarkers Among Nurses), which is not on this map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Effect of Mindfulness Meditation on Perceived Stress, Somatic Symptoms and Inflammatory Biomarkers Among Nurses
Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.
- Supporting the well-being of nurses, paramedics, and firefighters during external crises by managing workload: an umbrella review.Industrial health · 2025Pooled it
- Effectiveness of a Web-Based Self-Guided Intervention (MINDxYOU) for Reducing Stress and Promoting Mental Health Among Health Professionals: Results From a Stepped-Wedge Cluster Randomized Trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Trial
- The Protective Role of Vigor in Volunteering Against Somatic and Psychological Symptoms in EMDR Therapists.Psychology in Russia : state of the art · 2026Article
- Predictor and subgroup analysis of somatic symptoms and emotional exhaustion among university students in Germany during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: a longitudinal analysis.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Smartphone dependency, digital amnesia, and somatic symptoms among nursing students: the challenge of artificial intelligence.BMC nursing · 2025Article
- Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of long COVID-19 among Iranians: A community-based study in southern Iran.BMC public health · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveThe primary objective of this article was to systematically review the prevalence of somatic symptoms in patients, healthcare workers and general population during the COVID-19 pandemic. The secondary objectives were to record the association between somatic symptoms and indices of mental distress and to record the qualitative characteristics of such somatic complaints.
methodsFollowing the PRISMA methodology we systematically searched PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar for primary research reporting on somatic symptoms in association with mental distress. We specifically sought papers reporting on bodily distress disorder, somatic symptoms disorder or medically unexplained symptoms.
results1569 papers were retrieved, which yielded 36 relevant studies after screening. 15 studies referred to healthcare workers, 13 to general population, 5 to COVID-19 patients, 2 compared medical with non-medical professionals and 1 was studying COVID-19 patients some of which were also healthcare workers. The reported prevalence of somatic symptoms ranged from 7.4% to 67.8%. Commonly seen symptoms were shortness of breath, dyspnea, palpitations and pain in arms, legs and joints.
conclusionsOur systematic review suggests that somatic symptoms are very frequent during the pandemic and are often linked to mental distress. All three population groups are affected.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.