Strengthening mental health responses to COVID-19 in the Americas: A health policy analysis and recommendations

Tausch, Amy; Souza, Renato Oliveira e; Martínez‐Viciana, Carmen; Cayetano, Claudina; Barbosa, Jarbas; Hennis, Anselm

doi:10.1016/j.lana.2021.100118

Cited by 81 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…These recommendations have policy implications, as they can equip policy makers in Quebec, more widely in Canada, and other settings that rely on FPs as gatekeepers to mental health services to respond more effectively to the current and next public health emergency. In fact, recommendations as shared by study participants are also discussed internationally, for example in Europe [57], the Americas [58], and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries [59]. These recommendations may also be used to build back better post-pandemic.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perceptions on barriers, facilitators, and recommendations related to mental health service delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec, Canada: a qualitative descriptive study

et al. 2022

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Background There was an increase in self-reported mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, with research showing reduced access to mental health services in comparison to pre-pandemic levels. This paper explores 1) barriers and facilitating factors associated with mental health service delivery via primary care settings during the first two pandemic waves in Quebec, Canada, and 2) recommendations to addressing these barriers. Methods A qualitative descriptive study design was used. Semi-structured interviews with 20 participants (health managers, family physicians, mental health clinicians) were conducted and coded using a thematic analysis approach. Results Barriers and facilitating factors were organized according to Chaudoir et al. (2013)‘s framework of structural, organizational, provider- and patient-related, as well as innovation (technological modalities for service delivery) categories. Barriers included relocation of mental health staff to non-mental health related COVID-19 tasks (structural); mental health service interruption (organizational); mental health staff on preventive/medical leave (provider); the pandemic’s effect on consultations (i.e., perceptions of increased demand) (patients); and challenges with the use of technological modalities (innovation). Facilitating factors included reinforcements to mental health care teams (structural); perceptions of reductions in wait times for mental health evaluations during the second wave due to diminished FP referrals in the first wave, as well as supports (i.e., management, private sector, mental health trained staff) for mental health service delivery (organizational); staff’s mental health consultation practices (provider); and advantages in increasing the use of technological modalities in practice (innovation). Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first study to explore barriers and facilitating factors to mental health service delivery during the pandemic in Quebec, Canada. Some barriers identified were caused by the pandemic, such as the relocation of staff to non-mental health services and mental health service interruption. Offering services virtually seemed to facilitate mental health service delivery only for certain population groups. Recommendations related to building and strengthening human and technological capacity during the pandemic can inform mental health practices and policies to improve mental health service delivery in primary care settings and access to mental health services via access points.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perceptions on barriers, facilitators, and recommendations related to mental health service delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec, Canada: a qualitative descriptive study

et al. 2022

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“…For decades national and international bodies have pointed to the increasing prevalence of mental disorders and the need for appropriate and urgent holistic responses. The disconnection between science, health, and politics before and during the pandemic of COVID-19 undermined the actions and reorganization of the care and support system (PAHO, 2017;Tausch et al, 2022;WHO, 2017WHO, , 2020WHO, , 2021aWHO, , 2021b, especially for the most vulnerable.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Common mental disorders follow its worldwide upward curve and will cause several damages to the society in the coming years, especially, after the pandemic scenario, which left a history of physical and mental illnesses and their sequels, added to losses in all aspects of life, smoking and alcohol consumption. All of this is associated with individual, socioeconomic, and biological factors, to previous psychiatric and neurological disorders and lack of access to health services may result in worsening of pre-existing pathologies, disability and death (Gobbi et al, 2020;Tausch et al, 2022;WHO, 2021b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the pandemic context, the psycho-emotional reactions added to the overload of activities and responsibilities altered the emotional balance and generated dysfunctional interpretations of the world and the future with negative impacts on mental functioning. In Brazil, the prevalence of depression and anxiety during the pandemic reached 61% and 44%, respectively (Kam et al, 2019;Lima et al, 2013;Tausch et al, 2022). Research, Society andDevelopment, v. 11, n. 9, e30311931713, 2022 (CC BY 4.0) | ISSN 2525-3409 | DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v11i9.31713 In this scenario of exhausting routine, are the higher education academics, especially those in the health area, where responsibilities are sometimes greater, as it involves more refined knowledge to prevent, care for and maintain the health and life of other beings (Carvalho Silva et al, 2021;Kam et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Impacts of the second wave of Covid-19 in Brazil: a cross-sectional study with nursing students

Carneiro

Ramos

Santos

et al. 2022

RSD

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Introduction: The worldwide prevalence of mental disorders points to the need for adequate and urgent holistic responses. The disconnection between science, health and politics before and during the pandemic of COVID-19 undermined the actions and reorganization of the reception and support system, especially for the most vulnerable, women and young people. Objective: To verify the prevalence of anxious, depressive and hopelessness symptoms in academics of a public university during the pandemic period. Methodology: This is an observational, cross-sectional study carried out with 128 undergraduate nursing students from a public university in the state of Paraíba, Brazil from January to March 2021. The recruitment was online and the data collection instrument was prepared on Google Forms with sociodemographic, health and coping strategies questions. Results: The study showed a majority of single female academics with a positive self-perception of health. Nervousness, autonomic symptoms and fear stood out among the anxious symptoms. Regarding depressive symptoms, most reported self-criticism, irritability, fatigue, pessimism and sleep disorders. Positive expectations regarding the future were prevalent in the sample. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the health of the academic community. The students experienced the second wave with psycho-emotional reactions, but also with various coping strategies, mainly related to affective support from family and friends and professional support. The results show the need to investigate daily life, its stressors and risk factors to provide adequate support to promote and maintain the health of these students by approaching protective factors.

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“…Declines in mental health have been documented in several countries ( Xiong et al, 2020 ), particularly during the first pandemic shock in the first half of 2020. Sustained declines in mental health were reported especially for deprived neighborhoods and mixed race ( Pierce et al, 2020 , McKnight-Eily et al, 2021 , Pierce et al, 2021 , Tausch et al, 2022 , Wong et al, 2022 ). The adverse impacts were found to be stronger among women, more so in childbearing age (18–34), people living with young children, people being infected with COVID-19, and people in areas of local lockdown and with financial difficulties.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of COVID-19 on maternal health and child care behavior: Evidence from a quasi-experimental study of vulnerable communities in Boa Vista, Brazil

Loss

Fink

Bessa

et al. 2022

Child Abuse & Neglect

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Strengthening mental health responses to COVID-19 in the Americas: A health policy analysis and recommendations

Cited by 81 publications

References 26 publications

Perceptions on barriers, facilitators, and recommendations related to mental health service delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec, Canada: a qualitative descriptive study

Perceptions on barriers, facilitators, and recommendations related to mental health service delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec, Canada: a qualitative descriptive study

Impacts of the second wave of Covid-19 in Brazil: a cross-sectional study with nursing students

Impact of COVID-19 on maternal health and child care behavior: Evidence from a quasi-experimental study of vulnerable communities in Boa Vista, Brazil

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