Social inequalities and collateral damages of the COVID-19 pandemic: when basic needs challenge mental health care

Prevalence and correlates of depression during the COVID-19 pandemic and the major role of stigmatization in low- and middle-income countries: A multinational cross-sectional study

“…In addition to concerns, anxiety, and distress provoked by the spread of COVID-19, the pandemic has had major negative impacts on people's lives ( Bonaccorsi et al., 2020 ; Cénat, 2020a ; Di Nicola et al., 2020 ; Helliwell et al., 2020 ; Holmes et al., 2020 ). In fact, measures taken to curb the spread of the virus (confinement of populations, closure of schools, universities and non-essential activities, physical and social distancing) have had major psychological, social, and economic impacts ( Cénat et al., 2020a ; Iacobucci, 2020 ). Studies conducted in China and in high-income countries (HIC) revealed an exacerbation of mental health problems during the pandemic among affected populations ( Cénat et al., 2021a ; Fitzpatrick et al., 2020 ; Lai et al., 2020 ; Lei et al., 2020 ; Mazza et al., 2020 ; Pappa et al., 2020 ).…”

Ethno-cultural disparities in mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study on the impact of exposure to the virus and COVID-19-related discrimination and stigma on mental health across ethno-cultural groups in Quebec (Canada)

“…The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting social, cultural and economic systems around the world, and mounting evidence suggests profound and concerning negative effects of COVID-19 on mental health, with long-lasting consequences on society. [1][2][3] Preliminary reports from the USA and the UK have denounced how individuals that experience structural and social inequities, such as ethnic and racial minorities, 4,5 are disproportionately exposed to the virus and affected by the pandemic. This is because of systemic social and economic disparities, [6][7][8] including poverty, poor housing and inadequate healthcare, and has prompted a call to identify and address sociocultural health disparities in the COVID-19 crisis.…”

The Complex Trauma Spectrum During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Threat for Children and Adolescents’ Physical and Mental Health

“…As of June 5, 2020, school closures still affect 134 countries and more than 1.7 billion students around the world ( UNESCO, 2020 ). Although staying home can be beneficial for a group of children, many of them are at greater risk of experiencing multiple traumas such as physical, sexual and psychological violence, physical and emotional neglect, exposure to inter-parental violence, social isolation, household stressors and difficulties (e.g., alcoholism, drug addiction, and mental illness of a parent), as well as increased social and financial precarity ( Cénat et al., 2020 ). Two recent surveys have shown that more than 20% of all-aged children and more than 40% of children under 12 in the United States experienced food insecurity since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic ( Bauer, 2020 ).…”