The historic underinvestment in global mental health has increased vulnerability to a pandemic that profoundly affects physical and mental health. Prior to the pandemic, marginalized communities experienced a disproportionate burden of disease along with consistently poorer health outcomes as a result of intersecting systems of discrimination and disadvantage. Mental health is an essential part of any pandemic response, particularly for marginalized communities that are coping with the impact of pandemic stressors on top of extant threats of homelessness, violence, food insecurity, addiction, and multiple forms of oppression. There is a gap in our understanding of the disparate impact of COVID on the mental health of marginalized communities, as well as a dearth of evidence regarding creative and impactful solutions to address their specific needs.
The chronic lack of investment in global mental health has left us with an inadequate evidence base around which to marshal an effective response. Nevertheless, individuals and organizations have developed creative and effective ways to deliver mental health services for marginalized communities in the current pandemic. While we understand the burden of mental and neurological diseases to be highest within low-and middle-income countries, marginalized populations within high-income countries are also at particular risk, and often neglected. To that end, this Research Topic seeks to identify disparities and strengthen the evidence base to provide creative global mental health and psychosocial interventions for marginalized groups in the context of COVID, as well as sharpen a future policy and research agenda so we are better prepared to address mental health in the context of future pandemics.
The Research Topic aims to consolidate a broad evidence base that includes conceptual, epidemiological, intervention and policy papers that address mental health within marginalized populations globally. Manuscripts from across the research spectrum including qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods and implementation science are welcomed.
• Qualitative needs assessment and epidemiolocal studies of prevalence/incidence of mental disorders among marginalized communities during COVID:
o LGBTQ+
o Migrant communities
o Racial/Ethnic minorities
o Multiply stigmatized populations (e.g., People living with HIV, who are in conflict with the law, or substance users), using an intersectional lens;
• Creative, impactful solutions: MHPSS and other clinical interventions that deliver mental health services to those with unmet mental health needs: pilots and completed research;
• Human resources for mental health: expanding access through training, task sharing and other approaches for professional, para-professional and lay people;
• Analysis: systematic reviews; program, research, policy gaps; lessons learned; and good practice standards.
The historic underinvestment in global mental health has increased vulnerability to a pandemic that profoundly affects physical and mental health. Prior to the pandemic, marginalized communities experienced a disproportionate burden of disease along with consistently poorer health outcomes as a result of intersecting systems of discrimination and disadvantage. Mental health is an essential part of any pandemic response, particularly for marginalized communities that are coping with the impact of pandemic stressors on top of extant threats of homelessness, violence, food insecurity, addiction, and multiple forms of oppression. There is a gap in our understanding of the disparate impact of COVID on the mental health of marginalized communities, as well as a dearth of evidence regarding creative and impactful solutions to address their specific needs.
The chronic lack of investment in global mental health has left us with an inadequate evidence base around which to marshal an effective response. Nevertheless, individuals and organizations have developed creative and effective ways to deliver mental health services for marginalized communities in the current pandemic. While we understand the burden of mental and neurological diseases to be highest within low-and middle-income countries, marginalized populations within high-income countries are also at particular risk, and often neglected. To that end, this Research Topic seeks to identify disparities and strengthen the evidence base to provide creative global mental health and psychosocial interventions for marginalized groups in the context of COVID, as well as sharpen a future policy and research agenda so we are better prepared to address mental health in the context of future pandemics.
The Research Topic aims to consolidate a broad evidence base that includes conceptual, epidemiological, intervention and policy papers that address mental health within marginalized populations globally. Manuscripts from across the research spectrum including qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods and implementation science are welcomed.
• Qualitative needs assessment and epidemiolocal studies of prevalence/incidence of mental disorders among marginalized communities during COVID:
o LGBTQ+
o Migrant communities
o Racial/Ethnic minorities
o Multiply stigmatized populations (e.g., People living with HIV, who are in conflict with the law, or substance users), using an intersectional lens;
• Creative, impactful solutions: MHPSS and other clinical interventions that deliver mental health services to those with unmet mental health needs: pilots and completed research;
• Human resources for mental health: expanding access through training, task sharing and other approaches for professional, para-professional and lay people;
• Analysis: systematic reviews; program, research, policy gaps; lessons learned; and good practice standards.
