The effects of COVID-19 on European healthcare provision for working-age adults with major depressive disorder

Wong, Win Lee Edwin; Sually, Dilveer; Hidalgo‐Mazzei, Diego; Quoidbach, Vinciane; Simon, Judit; Boyer, Patrice; Strawbridge, Rebecca; Young, Allan H.

doi:10.1192/j.eurpsy.2023.2407

Eur. Psychiatr.

2023

DOI: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2023.2407

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The effects of COVID-19 on European healthcare provision for working-age adults with major depressive disorder

Win Lee Edwin Wong

Dilveer Sually

Diego Hidalgo‐Mazzei

et al.

Abstract: Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability worldwide, and yet delivery of care for this illness is rife with gaps. The COVID-19 pandemic has had far reaching implications for every facet of healthcare, and MDD is no exception. This scoping review aimed to ascertain the impacts of COVID-19 on the delivery of MDD care in Europe, as well as to evaluate any novel MDD care strategies trialled in this period. Methods We searched the PubMed and PsycINFO database… Show more

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“…Only about 19% of those diagnosed with MDD access psychiatric care, and an even smaller percentage access specialized mood disorder care. The theme of gaps in care pathways was further pursued by Wong et al [ 3 ] in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors found that information on the impact of the pandemic on treatment pathways for MDD was incomplete.…”

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The European Brain Council Value of Treatment studies in depression and autism

Frangou

2023

Eur. Psychiatr.

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European Psychiatry has partnered with the European Brain Council (EBC) to present a collection of studies that showcase the breadth of the work the Council supports. The EBC (https://www.braincouncil.eu/) is a network of scientific and professional societies, patient organizations, and commercial companies that support research aimed at improving the lives of Europeans suffering from brain disorders. In 2022, the EBC celebrated 20 years of service to the field, during which it has fostered discussions and collaborations to strengthen and harmonize European mental health research and care. This collection showcases the work undertaken as part of the EBC project on the Value of Treatment (VOT2), which was initiated in 2019. As clearly outlined by Simon et al. [1], the VOT2 project combines care pathways analysis and economic analysis to identify treatment gaps, evaluate potential outcomes and costs of optimized care, and offer policy recommendations in collaboration with the EBC's scientific societies and patient organizations. The collection demonstrates the utility of the VOT2 research framework when applied to major depressive disorder (MDD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD), two prevalent and disabling disorders.Strawbridge et al.[2] highlight the findings of the EBC VOT2 study on adult MDD, which identified significant gaps in the care pathways for patients with MDD in Europe. A review of the relevant literature revealed that approximately 52% of MDD episodes go undiagnosed. Among those diagnosed, roughly 38% do not receive treatment, which increases to an average of 65% when considering samples inclusive of undiagnosed cases. The average delay in treatment is around 4 years (range: 1-8 years). Upon initiating treatment, about 66% of individuals receive follow-up, but often below the standards advocated by established guidelines. Only about 19% of those diagnosed with MDD access psychiatric care, and an even smaller percentage access specialized mood disorder care. The theme of gaps in care pathways was further pursued by Wong et al. [3] in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors found that information on the impact of the pandemic on treatment pathways for MDD was incomplete. Nevertheless, the available data indicated a pandemic-related decrease in treatment rates and access to care. Additionally, the clinical effectiveness of the digital interventions that were widely deployed has yet to be evaluated. McCrone et al. [4] provide an informed account of the cost-effectiveness of reducing treatment gaps in MDD. A decision-tree framework spanning 27 months was employed, tracing care pathways with different detection rates and treatment modalities for MDD. The corresponding costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were computed for Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, and the UK. Their model shows that reducing detection and treatment gaps to 50 and 25%, respectively, is associated with higher short-term costs but long-term cost-efficiency. Mendez et al. [5] highlight the utility of the ...

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confidence: 99%

The European Brain Council Value of Treatment studies in depression and autism

Frangou

2023

Eur. Psychiatr.

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A collective case study of mental health systems’ response to COVID-19: Impact on patterns of care provision for depression and anxiety in two comparable regions of Southern Europe

Castelpietra,

Niyonsenga,

Iruin

et al. 2025

The European Journal of Psychiatry

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Obsessive–Compulsive Symptoms in the General Population Under Stressful Conditions: Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic

Pellegrini,

Albert,

Carmassi

et al. 2024

Brain Sciences

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Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on mental health in the general population. The fear, stress, and uncertainty surrounding that traumatic period could have contributed to the aggravation or possible new onset of obsessive–compulsive symptoms. Methods: The COvid Mental hEalth Trial (COMET) is a nationwide project organized by the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, designed as an observational investigation that aimed to gather data from a representative sample of the Italian general population. The current study is a report from the main project and it focuses on obsessive–compulsive (OC) symptoms. Results: A total sample of N = 20,720 took part in the survey. N = 2332 individuals had a total Obsessive–Compulsive Inventory—Revised (OCI-R) score greater than or equal to 21 (11.3% of the entire sample), indicating the presence of clinically relevant obsessive–compulsive symptoms. By excluding patients with a history of previous mental illnesses, we still obtained a high number of individuals with an OCI-R score greater than or equal to 21 (N = 2024), representing 10.3% of the overall sample, possibly indicating a new incidence of OC symptoms during the pandemic. Discussion: Our study highlights a substantial new incidence of obsessive–compulsive symptoms in the general public. Risk factors or red flags such as being male, being of working age, living in a highly stressful environment such as one of the Italian regions most affected and severely hit by the pandemic, having higher levels of loneliness, and using substances to cope with stress, should be paid particular attention in order to prevent the development of OC symptoms during a critical and traumatic event such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The effects of COVID-19 on European healthcare provision for working-age adults with major depressive disorder

Cited by 3 publications

References 66 publications

The European Brain Council Value of Treatment studies in depression and autism

The European Brain Council Value of Treatment studies in depression and autism

A collective case study of mental health systems’ response to COVID-19: Impact on patterns of care provision for depression and anxiety in two comparable regions of Southern Europe

Obsessive–Compulsive Symptoms in the General Population Under Stressful Conditions: Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic

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