The global need for mental health care remains a challenge worldwide. The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has hampered the provision of mental health care to the population increasing the gap of unmet needs. The prevalence of mental disorders is rising globally and places a burden on society that needs to be addressed. Following the devastating impact of COVID-19 on mental health care provision, decision-makers are called to action. Vaccines have now been developed and the negative effect of the virus is being reduced. Additionally, with the containment measures and the enactments of lockdowns, the spread of the virus is being more controlled. However, its psychological symptoms and psychiatric illness gaps need to be addressed before it worsens. The World Health Organisation has also emphasized the importance of considering mental healthcare as a core sector within the current health response.
The COVID-19 global health crisis is affecting societal well-being. Health systems collapsed during the first wave as a consequence of being under immense pressure. The impact on mental health services was even greater because resources are scarcer. Mental health care provision was delivered remotely (telephone, video) where possible, while emergency services for severe mental health users remained available. The increase in demand for mental health services when resources were directed to patients with COVID-19, forced fast adaptations in the organization of the system triggering an increase in burden and treatment gaps.
The main goal of this Research Topic is to spread the knowledge about the mental health impact of the pandemic and to develop recovery approaches to address public mental health care. The main implications include informing mental health care professionals and policymakers to develop strategies to cope with the psychological and psychiatric impact of COVID-19 as well as to develop evidence-informed policies.
We seek a multidisciplinary approach, with authors including researchers at universities, academic institutes, hospitals, policymakers, managers as well as those working in mental health care provision (psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, etc.).
This Research Topic encourages the collection of original research, perspectives and systematic reviews, and meta-analyses that focus on the psychiatric impact of COVID-19 on users and mental health services, as well as articles that develop recovery-based psychotherapies, policies, and strategies. Articles with a special focus on multidisciplinary approaches are especially welcome. Additionally, longitudinal studies that assess the impact of COVID-19 on mental disorders and mental health services are suitable.
This Research Topic will present authoritative works including, but not limited to, the following topics:
• Psychiatric impact of COVID-19
• Impact of COVID-19 on mental health care services
• Policies centered on mental health recovery after COVID-19
• Mental health policy evaluation prior to and post COVID-19 pandemic
• Design of recovery-based strategies and recommendations
• Mental health services transformation due to the pandemic
• Efficiency of mental health care provision during and post-pandemic
• Effectiveness of recovery-based psychotherapies during and post-pandemic
• Effectiveness of online mental health care provision during and post-pandemic
The global need for mental health care remains a challenge worldwide. The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has hampered the provision of mental health care to the population increasing the gap of unmet needs. The prevalence of mental disorders is rising globally and places a burden on society that needs to be addressed. Following the devastating impact of COVID-19 on mental health care provision, decision-makers are called to action. Vaccines have now been developed and the negative effect of the virus is being reduced. Additionally, with the containment measures and the enactments of lockdowns, the spread of the virus is being more controlled. However, its psychological symptoms and psychiatric illness gaps need to be addressed before it worsens. The World Health Organisation has also emphasized the importance of considering mental healthcare as a core sector within the current health response.
The COVID-19 global health crisis is affecting societal well-being. Health systems collapsed during the first wave as a consequence of being under immense pressure. The impact on mental health services was even greater because resources are scarcer. Mental health care provision was delivered remotely (telephone, video) where possible, while emergency services for severe mental health users remained available. The increase in demand for mental health services when resources were directed to patients with COVID-19, forced fast adaptations in the organization of the system triggering an increase in burden and treatment gaps.
The main goal of this Research Topic is to spread the knowledge about the mental health impact of the pandemic and to develop recovery approaches to address public mental health care. The main implications include informing mental health care professionals and policymakers to develop strategies to cope with the psychological and psychiatric impact of COVID-19 as well as to develop evidence-informed policies.
We seek a multidisciplinary approach, with authors including researchers at universities, academic institutes, hospitals, policymakers, managers as well as those working in mental health care provision (psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, etc.).
This Research Topic encourages the collection of original research, perspectives and systematic reviews, and meta-analyses that focus on the psychiatric impact of COVID-19 on users and mental health services, as well as articles that develop recovery-based psychotherapies, policies, and strategies. Articles with a special focus on multidisciplinary approaches are especially welcome. Additionally, longitudinal studies that assess the impact of COVID-19 on mental disorders and mental health services are suitable.
This Research Topic will present authoritative works including, but not limited to, the following topics:
• Psychiatric impact of COVID-19
• Impact of COVID-19 on mental health care services
• Policies centered on mental health recovery after COVID-19
• Mental health policy evaluation prior to and post COVID-19 pandemic
• Design of recovery-based strategies and recommendations
• Mental health services transformation due to the pandemic
• Efficiency of mental health care provision during and post-pandemic
• Effectiveness of recovery-based psychotherapies during and post-pandemic
• Effectiveness of online mental health care provision during and post-pandemic