Global Health
What Policies Should High-Income Countries Implement to Combat the Impact of Covid-19 on Population Mental Health? by
Gursharan Khera, Kunzang Selden, Coralie Gauvin-Bélair, Eleanor Pace
It is currently estimated that roughly 13% of the global population suffer from mental illness1, and this figure is climbing. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the demand for mental health services is increasing on the background of a global pandemic that has not only disrupted service provision in 93% of countries worldwide, but introduced a host of its own risk factors.2 The psychological weight of social isolation, fear of contagion, bereavement and economic hardship have the potential to trigger or exacerbate mental health issues. These factors occur as both a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic and governmental measures and restrictions that have emerged in response. Furthemore, though a vaccine may be a solution to more practical issues and restrictions brought about by Covid-19, the biopsychosocial effects of this pandemic are deeply permeating and not so easily abated. It is essential, therefore, that governmental policies are in place to effectively address the
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mental health needs of populations. This is particularly pertinent for high-income countries, which have the resources to implement and deliver the mental health services necessary to mitigate against a second– mental health– pandemic. Short-Term Implications of Covid-19 on Mental Health I. Lockdown “Quarantine is the separation and restriction of movement of people who have potentially been exposed to a contagious disease to ascertain if they become unwell, so reducing the risk of them infecting others.”3 Separation from daily activities, loved ones, freedom, and overall disruption to societal normalcy can and has led to disastrous impacts on mental health since the Covid-19 outbreak. It has been proven that epidemics, in general, induce stress in populations. Evidence from past pandemics with similar quarantine features, like
