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The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic's impact on mental health

Article  in  International Journal of Health Planning and Management · June 2020

DOI: 10.1002/hpm.3008

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Received: 30 April 2020 Revised: 3 May 2020 Accepted: 22 May 2020

DOI: 10.1002/hpm.3008

PERSPECTIVE

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic's impact

on mental health

Bilal Javed1,2 | Abdullah Sarwer3,4 | Erik B. Soto5 |

1
Zia-ur-Rehman Mashwani

1
Faculty of Sciences, PMAS Arid Agriculture
University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Abstract
2
Roy & Diana Vagelos Laboratories, Throughout the world, the public is being informed about
Department of Chemistry, University of the physical effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection and steps to
Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
take to prevent exposure to the coronavirus and manage
3
Nawaz Sharif Medical College, University of
symptoms of COVID-19 if they appear. However, the
Gujrat, Gujrat, Pakistan
4
Department of General Medicine, Allama
effects of this pandemic on one's mental health have not
Iqbal Memorial Teaching Hospital, Sialkot, been studied at length and are still not known. As all efforts
Pakistan
are focused on understanding the epidemiology, clinical fea-
5
Graduate School of Public Health, University
tures, transmission patterns, and management of the
of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
COVID-19 outbreak, there has been very little concern
Correspondence expressed over the effects on one's mental health and on
Bilal Javed, Faculty of Sciences, PMAS Arid
Agriculture University, Rawalpindi 46300,
strategies to prevent stigmatization. People's behavior may
Pakistan. greatly affect the pandemic's dynamic by altering the sever-
Email: [email protected];
ity, transmission, disease flow, and repercussions. The pre-
[email protected]
sent situation requires raising awareness in public, which
can be helpful to deal with this calamity. This perspective
article provides a detailed overview of the effects of the
COVID-19 outbreak on the mental health of people.

KEYWORDS

COVID-19, mental health, pandemic, SARS-CoV-2, stigma

1 | I N T RO DU CT I O N

A pandemic is not just a medical phenomenon; it affects individuals and society and causes disruption, anxiety, stress,
stigma, and xenophobia. The behavior of an individual as a unit of society or a community has marked effects on the
dynamics of a pandemic that involves the level of severity, degree of flow, and aftereffects.1 Rapid human-to-human
transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 resulted in the enforcement of regional lockdowns to stem the further spread of the
disease. Isolation, social distancing, and closure of educational institutes, workplaces, and entertainment venues

Int J Health Plann Mgmt. 2020;1–4. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/hpm © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 1
2 JAVED ET AL.

consigned people to stay in their homes to help break the chain of transmission.2 However, the restrictive measures
undoubtedly have affected the social and mental health of individuals from across the board.3
As more and more people are forced to stay at home in self-isolation to prevent the further flow of the pathogen at
the societal level, governments must take the necessary measures to provide mental health support as prescribed by the
experts. Professor Tiago Correia highlighted in his editorial as the health systems worldwide are assembling exclusively to
fight the COVID-19 outbreak, which can drastically affect the management of other diseases including mental health,
which usually exacerbates during the pandemic.4 The psychological state of an individual that contributes toward the
community health varies from person-to-person and depends on his background and professional and social standings.5
Quarantine and self-isolation can most likely cause a negative impact on one's mental health. A review published
in The Lancet said that the separation from loved ones, loss of freedom, boredom, and uncertainty can cause a deteri-
oration in an individual's mental health status.6 To overcome this, measures at the individual and societal levels are
required. Under the current global situation, both children and adults are experiencing a mix of emotions. They can
be placed in a situation or an environment that may be new and can be potentially damaging to their health.7

2 | C HI LD R E N A ND T E E N S A T RI S K

Children, away from their school, friends, and colleagues, staying at home can have many questions about the out-
break and they look toward their parents or caregivers to get the answer. Not all children and parents respond to
stress in the same way. Kids can experience anxiety, distress, social isolation, and an abusive environment that can
have short- or long-term effects on their mental health. Some common changes in children's behavior can be8:

• Excessive crying and annoying behavior

• Increased sadness, depression, or worry
• Difficulties with concentration and attention
• Changes in, or avoiding, activities that they enjoyed in the past
• Unexpected headaches and pain throughout their bodies
• Changes in eating habits

To help offset negative behaviors, requires parents to remain calm, deal with the situation wisely, and answer all
of the child's questions to the best of their abilities. Parents can take some time to talk to their children about the
COVID-19 outbreak and share some positive facts, figures, and information. Parents can help to reassure them that
they are safe at home and encourage them to engage in some healthy activities including indoor sports and some
physical and mental exercises. Parents can also develop a home schedule that can help their children to keep up with
their studies. Parents should show less stress or anxiety at their home as children perceive and feel negative energy
from their parents. The involvement of parents in healthy activities with their children can help to reduce stress and
anxiety and bring relief to the overall situation.9

3 | E L D E R S A N D P E O P L E WI T H D I S A B I L I T I E S A T R I S K

Elderly people are more prone to the COVID-19 outbreak due to both clinical and social reasons such as having a
weaker immune system or other underlying health conditions and distancing from their families and friends due to
their busy schedules. According to medical experts, people aged 60 or above are more likely to get the SARS-CoV-2
and can develop a serious and life-threatening condition even if they are in good health.10
Physical distancing due to the COVID-19 outbreak can have drastic negative effects on the mental health of the
elderly and disabled individuals. Physical isolation at home among family members can put the elderly and disabled
JAVED ET AL. 3

person at serious mental health risk. It can cause anxiety, distress, and induce a traumatic situation for them. Elderly
people depend on young ones for their daily needs, and self-isolation can critically damage a family system. The
elderly and disabled people living in nursing homes can face extreme mental health issues. However, something as
simple as a phone call during the pandemic outbreak can help to console elderly people. COVID-19 can also result in
increased stress, anxiety, and depression among elderly people already dealing with mental health issues.
Family members may witness any of the following changes to the behavior of older relatives11;

• Irritating and shouting behavior

• Change in their sleeping and eating habits
• Emotional outbursts

The World Health Organization suggests that family members should regularly check on older people living
within their homes and at nursing facilities. Younger family members should take some time to talk to older members
of the family and become involved in some of their daily routines if possible.12

4 | H E A LT H W O R K E R S A T R I S K

Doctors, nurses, and paramedics working as a front-line force to fight the COVID-19 outbreak may be more suscep-
tible to develop mental health symptoms. Fear of catching a disease, long working hours, unavailability of protective
gear and supplies, patient load, unavailability of effective COVID-19 medication, death of their colleagues after expo-
sure to COVID-19, social distancing and isolation from their family and friends, and the dire situation of their
patients may take a negative toll of the mental health of health workers. The working efficiency of health profes-
sionals may decrease gradually as the pandemic prevails. Health workers should take short breaks between their
working hours and deal with the situation calmly and in a relaxed manner.5

5 | ST IGM A TIZ A TION

Generally, people recently released from quarantine can experience stigmatization and develop a mix of emotions.
Everyone may feel differently and have a different welcome by society when they come out of quarantine. People
who recently recovered may have to exercise social distancing from their family members, friends, and relatives to
ensure their family's safety because of unprecedented viral nature. Different age groups respond to this social
behavior differently, which can have both short- and long-term effects.1
Health workers trying to save lives and protect society may also experience social distancing, changes in the
behavior of family members, and stigmatization for being suspected of carrying COVID-19.6 Previously infected indi-
viduals and health professionals (dealing pandemic) may develop sadness, anger, or frustration because friends or
loved ones may have unfounded fears of contracting the disease from contact with them, even though they have
been determined not to be contagious.5
However, the current situation requires a clear understanding of the effects of the recent outbreak on the men-
tal health of people of different age groups to prevent and avoid the COVID-19 pandemic.

6 | TAKE HOME MESSAGE

• Understanding the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on the mental health of various populations are as impor-
tant as understanding its clinical features, transmission patterns, and management.
4 JAVED ET AL.

• Spending time with family members including children and elderly people, involvement in different healthy exer-
cises and sports activities, following a schedule/routine, and taking a break from traditional and social media can
all help to overcome mental health issues.
• Public awareness campaigns focusing on the maintenance of mental health in the prevailing situation are urgently
needed.

CONF LICT OF IN TE RE ST
The authors declare no potential conflict of interest.

AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS
B.J. and A.S. devised the study. B.J. collected and analyzed the data and wrote the first draft. E.B.S. edited and
revised the manuscript. A.S. and Z.M. provided useful information. All the authors contributed to the subsequent
drafts. The authors reviewed and endorsed the final submission.

ORCID
Bilal Javed https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9566-1498

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How to cite this article: Javed B, Sarwer A, Soto EB, Mashwani Z-R. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic's
impact on mental health. Int J Health Plann Mgmt. 2020;1–4. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpm.3008

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