Mental health interventions implemented in the COVID-19 pandemic: what is the evidence?

Abstract

Objective: to map the evidence on mental health interventions implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: this scoping review was carried out in the MEDLINE/PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Science Direct databases and in the medRxiv, bioRxiv, and PsyArXiv preprints servers using the descriptors “Covid-19”, “coronavirus infection”, “coronavirus”, “2019-nCoV”, “2019 novel coronavirus disease”, “SARS-CoV-2”, “health personnel”, “general public”, and “mental health”. Results: eight articles were selected and categorized into mental health interventions for the population, among which mental health interventions were for people diagnosed with suspicion/confirmed COVID-19 and mental health interventions for health professionals. Conclusion: telemonitoring, virtual games and strategies focused on social support and muscle relaxation techniques, characterized as non-pharmacological and low-cost, were shown as interventions, which, since they are effective, need to be encouraged and included in mental health care practices.

Sociohistorical Analysis of Normative Standards of Masculinity in the Pandemic of COVID-19: Impacts on Men’s Health/Mental Health

“…Therefore, they need to be better observed. It is based on these findings found in our study that male behavior in the face of complex social scenarios such as a pandemic can be better understood, enabling the broadening of the therapeutic repertoire of health professionals, qualifying care, strengthening the construction of strategies to protect male mental health, individual and collective growth for post-pandemic resilience, and the overcoming of male attributes harmful to men’s health in their different territories and sociocultural, political and historical contexts ( Bühler et al, 2021 ; Moreira et al, 2021 ).…”

Factors Associated with Emotion Regulation in Men with Internet Access Living in Brazil during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…In this sense, it is fundamental to develop public policies to promote mental health since, due to the long-term sequelae, it is expected that the demand for mental health care by patients diagnosed with COVID-19, by their family members and by specific groups such as men, will tend to increase, due to the simultaneity and speed of the emergence of confirmed cases of the disease. This contributes to symptoms and mental disorders being triggered by the possibility of death, transmission and exposure to the virus, as well as by the impact of all the changes in social functioning resulting from the pandemic [ 59 , 60 ], as well as in other previous contexts [ 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 ].…”

Substance Use in Healthcare Professionals During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Latin America: A Systematic Review and a Call for Reports

“…Similarly, mental health interventions have not prioritised substance abuse and alcoholism in HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. 32 Also, national and international investments in technological innovation has not prioritised substance abuse research in Latin America, even though millions of dollars have been invested in the development of rapid response projects. 4 , 33 , 34 As long as health stakeholders, political leaders and clinical practice managers do not highlight substance abuse as part of the scientific priorities in every Latin American country, HCWs will be threatened by substance use without control and prevention measures.…”