Extant literature has established the effectiveness of various mental health promotion and prevention strategies, including novel interventions. However, comprehensive literature encompassing all these aspects and challenges and opportunities in implementing such interventions in different settings is still lacking. Therefore, in the current review, we aimed to synthesize existing literature on various mental health promotion and prevention interventions and their effectiveness. Additionally, we intend to highlight various novel approaches to mental health care and their implications across different resource settings and provide future directions. The review highlights the (1) concept of preventive psychiatry, including various mental health promotions and prevention approaches, (2) current level of evidence of various mental health preventive interventions, including the novel interventions, and (3) challenges and opportunities in implementing concepts of preventive psychiatry and related interventions across the settings. Although preventive psychiatry is a well-known concept, it is a poorly utilized public health strategy to address the population's mental health needs. It has wide-ranging implications for the wellbeing of society and individuals, including those suffering from chronic medical problems. The researchers and policymakers are increasingly realizing the potential of preventive psychiatry; however, its implementation is poor in low-resource settings. Utilizing novel interventions, such as mobile-and-internet-based interventions and blended and stepped-care models of care can address the vast mental health need of the population. Additionally, it provides mental health services in a less-stigmatizing and easily accessible, and flexible manner. Furthermore, employing decision support systems/algorithms for patient management and personalized care and utilizing the digital platform for the non-specialists' training in mental health care are valuable additions to the existing mental health support system. However, more research concerning this is required worldwide, especially in the low-and-middle-income countries.

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Background Elderly persons have been more prone to depression, anxiety and stress during COVID−19 pandemic. They need more care and support towards mental health during these difficult times. Methodology This was a cross−sectional and quantitative study conducted in the state of Madhya Pradesh, during the month of March 2021 to August 2021. Participants were recruited from a population aged more than 60 years, those who were able to read and write Hindi or English or having at least one family member; reporting to a tertiary care teaching hospital during the second wave of COVID−19 in India. Those who were confirmed COVID−19 cases & undergoing treatment, with diagnosed mental health disorders and who didnot give consent were excluded. A semi−structured questionnaire along with DASS−21 scale was completed by participants online. Results Out of 690 subjects, 7·25 percent had mild and moderate depression, 0·58percent had severe and extremely severe depression. Mild and moderate anxiety symptoms were reported by 9·56percent, 2·46percent reported severe and extremely severe anxiety. Mild and moderate stress was reported by 4·78percent, while 0·42percent were severely and extremely stressed. A positive statistical association was found between alcohol addiction and depression (p=0·028). The elderly subjects had a nap the day time were significantly less depressed during COVID−19 pandemic (p=0·033). It was found that older the subjects, more were they anxious during the pandemic (p=0·042). An association was found between alcohol addiction and stress (p=0·043). Conclusions Depressive symptoms in participants were positively correlated with alcohol addiction. Females reported higher level of stress. There is a felt need to formulate psychological interventions for elderly to improve their mental health and psychological resilience. We need to tackle and fight the stigma, fear and anxiety related to the COVID−19, which is greater than disease itself.

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Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has left an array of direct physical consequences unevenly on the elderly apart from leaving a wide range of indirect consequences of mental health problems on them. This study aims to understand the effect of a Yoga-Meditation based mobile phone application intervention to reduce the duress by mental health issues via a qualitative analysis. Methods: A phenomenological qualitative succession of an explanatory sequential design of a prior quantitative study followed by a Yoga-Meditation mobile phone based intervention, where 30 participants who had mild or moderate Depression, Anxiety or Stress as assessed by DASS-21 were chosen by random sampling and were asked to take part in an interview. The interview was transcribed, coded, patterns identified and themes were created to understand the perceptions. Results: Three major schools of thought were identified and explored to understand the general perception of Mental health, COVID-19 and the intervention: a) Knowledge Axis patterns of COVID-19, which included their prior knowledge about the disease, its consequences and their cues to action based on those beliefs, b) Mental Health and Strategies to Positivity, involves all their actions to promote, restore or propagate a positive mental attitude from religious activities to physical activities and c) Application related thoughts, involved their perceptions of the app, the barriers to use and suggestions to improve. Conclusion: This study gave deeper insight into the schools of thought which will be important in designing future interventions and yoga-meditation based programs in the future, essentially for geriatric populations as it serves as a feasible simple measure for the same.