Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41178103›Full record

ArticleBJPsych open2025

Trajectory of severe COVID anxiety and predictors for recovery in an 18-month UK cohort.

Jacob D King, Aisling McQuaid, Kirsten Barnicot, Paul Bassett, Verity C Leeson, Martina Di Simplicio, Peter Tyrer, Helen Tyrer, Richard G Watt, Mike J Crawford

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BJPsych open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Jacob D KingDivision of Psychiatry, https://ror.org/041kmwe10Imperial College London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3896-9661
Aisling McQuaidDivision of Psychiatry, https://ror.org/041kmwe10Imperial College London, UK.
Kirsten BarnicotSchool of Health Sciences, City University of London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5083-5135
Paul BassettStatsConsultancy Ltd, Amersham, UK.
Verity C LeesonDivision of Psychiatry, https://ror.org/041kmwe10Imperial College London, UK.
Martina Di SimplicioDivision of Psychiatry, https://ror.org/041kmwe10Imperial College London, UK.
Peter TyrerDivision of Psychiatry, https://ror.org/041kmwe10Imperial College London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0358-1459
Helen TyrerDivision of Psychiatry, https://ror.org/041kmwe10Imperial College London, UK.
Richard G WattEpidemiology and Public Health, University College London, UK.
Mike J CrawfordDivision of Psychiatry, https://ror.org/041kmwe10Imperial College London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3137-5772

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPeople with severe COVID anxiety have significant fears of contagion, physiological symptoms of anxiety in response to a COVID stimulus and employ often disproportionate safety behaviours at the expense of other life priorities.

aimsTo characterise the long-term trajectory of severe COVID anxiety, and the factors that influence recovery.

methodThis prospective cohort study followed 285 people with severe COVID anxiety in the UK over 18 months. A nested randomised feasibility trial tested an online cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT)-based intervention (no. ISRCTN14973494). Descriptive statistics and linear regression models identified factors associated with change in COVID anxiety over 18 months.

resultsMost participants experienced major reductions in COVID anxiety over time (69.8% relative cohort mean decrease,

conclusionsFor most people severe COVID anxiety improves significantly with time. However, interventions treating depression and health anxiety, and targeting older people and those from greater-risk minority backgrounds, warrant further investigation in future pandemics.

Indexed as

Anxiety disordershealth anxietyhealth behaviourpandemic

Identifiers

PMID41178103
PMCPMC12641430

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Registered trials

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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.