Convalescence from Influenza: A Study of the Psychological and Clinical Determinants

Abstract

In a recent study1of convalescence from acute brucellosis the findings strongly supported the view that delay or failure in symptomatic recovery from that disorder is critically dependent upon the emotional state or attitude of the person. While no objective clinical or laboratory findings differentiated those persons who recovered quickly and completely from those who retained symptoms for a long period of time (chronic brucellosis), there were striking differences between these two groups in terms of psychological adjustment and life situation concurrent with the acute phase of the infection. The evidence pointed to the importance of depression particularly in retarding symptomatic recovery from the illness. The study of convalescence of patients with brucellosis was done retrospectively in that the persons were investigated medically and psychologically some time after the acute illness had been contracted. We felt reasonably assured that certain features of the study enabled us to differentiate between