Revista Habanera de Ciencias Médicas (May 2020)
Effects of COVID-19 on the mental health of the population
Abstract
Introduction: The world is experiencing an exceptional situation due to the advance of the pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and the unprecedented preventive and mandatory measure of social isolation used by various countries. This situation generates a psychosocial impact that has been insufficiently addressed.Objective: To analyze the repercussion that COVID-19 could cause on mental health and the measures for its prevention and control, as well as the strategies to favor it.Material and Methods: A bibliographic review was performed in the period between March and April 2020. Information sources available in the Virtual Health Library on the Cuban National Health Care Network and Portal (INFOMED) were consulted, including the SciELO, Pubmed / Medline, Cumed, and Lilacs databases. Google Scholar search engine was also used. The search engines of the different sources were used and a search strategy using keywords in Spanish and English was designed. Seven bibliographic citations were retrieved from Cuban materials and a total of 21 references were selected for our study.Development: Elements that integrate mental health as a multidisciplinary construct and the main effects that the epidemics produce on it are described. Strategies to promote behaviors that contribute to mental health in the current context are presented.Conclusions: Along with health measures, there is an urgent need to strengthen resilience, personal growth, intra-family relationships and special attention to vulnerable groups in order to minimize the psychosocial impact of the epidemic on the population.
