COVID-19 and Mental Health in Vulnerable Populations : A Narrative Review

This paper examines the global implications of COVID-19 on mental health, with a focus on four particularly vulnerable populations: (1) unemployed adults; (2) youth; (3) older-age populations; and (4) healthcare workers. Considering the global publ...

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Main Authors: Das, Abhery, Bruckner, Tim, Saxena, Shekhar, Alqunaibet, Ada, Almudarra, Sami, Herbst, Christopher H., Alsukait, Reem, El-Saharty, Sameh, Algwaizini, Abdullah
Format: Working Paper
Language:English
Published: World Bank, Washington, DC 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/586081624019980914/COVID-19-and-Mental-Health-in-Vulnerable-Populations-A-Narrative-Review
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/35847
id okr-10986-35847
recordtype oai_dc
spelling okr-10986-358472021-06-29T05:11:42Z COVID-19 and Mental Health in Vulnerable Populations : A Narrative Review Das, Abhery Bruckner, Tim Saxena, Shekhar Alqunaibet, Ada Almudarra, Sami Herbst, Christopher H. Alsukait, Reem El-Saharty, Sameh Algwaizini, Abdullah MENTAL HEALTH MENTAL DISORDER HEALTHCARE WORKER HEALTH SERVICE DELIVERY CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 This paper examines the global implications of COVID-19 on mental health, with a focus on four particularly vulnerable populations: (1) unemployed adults; (2) youth; (3) older-age populations; and (4) healthcare workers. Considering the global public health burden of mental disorders, understanding COVID-19’s psychological impact on vulnerable populations may provide policy makers with the information necessary to effectively direct resources. The paper focuses on these populations because racial, gender, and social class disparities endure in most educational and work opportunities.25 Additionally, health systems and work environments can perpetuate inequality among vulnerable populations, often leading to worse health outcomes. Previous pandemics and natural disasters have exacerbated income and health disparities for vulnerable populations.25 Similarly, the economic shutdown may disproportionately affect low-income or racial minority workers who work in sector most affected by COVID-19. Youth and older populations remain vulnerable because of factors associated with their age, whereas frontline healthcare workers face overwhelmed health systems and a higher risk of infection. Focusing on these vulnerable populations, the narrative review summarizes the literature addressing mental health and the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper is organized as follows: the next section summarizes current literature on the psychological impact of COVID-19 on four vulnerable populations. The following section then summarizes the findings for each of the populations, followed by a section discussing those results. The next sections provide an understanding of the current state of global mental health and recommend short, medium, and long-term policy solutions. 2021-06-28T21:05:27Z 2021-06-28T21:05:27Z 2021-03 Working Paper http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/586081624019980914/COVID-19-and-Mental-Health-in-Vulnerable-Populations-A-Narrative-Review http://hdl.handle.net/10986/35847 English Health, Nutrition and Population Discussion Paper; CC BY 3.0 IGO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo World Bank World Bank, Washington, DC Publications & Research Publications & Research :: Working Paper
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Foreign Institution
institution Digital Repositories
building World Bank Open Knowledge Repository
collection World Bank
language English
topic MENTAL HEALTH
MENTAL DISORDER
HEALTHCARE WORKER
HEALTH SERVICE DELIVERY
CORONAVIRUS
COVID-19
spellingShingle MENTAL HEALTH
MENTAL DISORDER
HEALTHCARE WORKER
HEALTH SERVICE DELIVERY
CORONAVIRUS
COVID-19
Das, Abhery
Bruckner, Tim
Saxena, Shekhar
Alqunaibet, Ada
Almudarra, Sami
Herbst, Christopher H.
Alsukait, Reem
El-Saharty, Sameh
Algwaizini, Abdullah
COVID-19 and Mental Health in Vulnerable Populations : A Narrative Review
relation Health, Nutrition and Population Discussion Paper;
description This paper examines the global implications of COVID-19 on mental health, with a focus on four particularly vulnerable populations: (1) unemployed adults; (2) youth; (3) older-age populations; and (4) healthcare workers. Considering the global public health burden of mental disorders, understanding COVID-19’s psychological impact on vulnerable populations may provide policy makers with the information necessary to effectively direct resources. The paper focuses on these populations because racial, gender, and social class disparities endure in most educational and work opportunities.25 Additionally, health systems and work environments can perpetuate inequality among vulnerable populations, often leading to worse health outcomes. Previous pandemics and natural disasters have exacerbated income and health disparities for vulnerable populations.25 Similarly, the economic shutdown may disproportionately affect low-income or racial minority workers who work in sector most affected by COVID-19. Youth and older populations remain vulnerable because of factors associated with their age, whereas frontline healthcare workers face overwhelmed health systems and a higher risk of infection. Focusing on these vulnerable populations, the narrative review summarizes the literature addressing mental health and the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper is organized as follows: the next section summarizes current literature on the psychological impact of COVID-19 on four vulnerable populations. The following section then summarizes the findings for each of the populations, followed by a section discussing those results. The next sections provide an understanding of the current state of global mental health and recommend short, medium, and long-term policy solutions.
format Working Paper
author Das, Abhery
Bruckner, Tim
Saxena, Shekhar
Alqunaibet, Ada
Almudarra, Sami
Herbst, Christopher H.
Alsukait, Reem
El-Saharty, Sameh
Algwaizini, Abdullah
author_facet Das, Abhery
Bruckner, Tim
Saxena, Shekhar
Alqunaibet, Ada
Almudarra, Sami
Herbst, Christopher H.
Alsukait, Reem
El-Saharty, Sameh
Algwaizini, Abdullah
author_sort Das, Abhery
title COVID-19 and Mental Health in Vulnerable Populations : A Narrative Review
title_short COVID-19 and Mental Health in Vulnerable Populations : A Narrative Review
title_full COVID-19 and Mental Health in Vulnerable Populations : A Narrative Review
title_fullStr COVID-19 and Mental Health in Vulnerable Populations : A Narrative Review
title_full_unstemmed COVID-19 and Mental Health in Vulnerable Populations : A Narrative Review
title_sort covid-19 and mental health in vulnerable populations : a narrative review
publisher World Bank, Washington, DC
publishDate 2021
url http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/586081624019980914/COVID-19-and-Mental-Health-in-Vulnerable-Populations-A-Narrative-Review
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/35847
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