A review of common mental health problems in the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Asia

Abstract

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has negatively impacted people’s lives, neurobiological health, and general well-being throughout the world. South Asian countries have experienced high frequencies of psychiatric concerns that have worsened during the pandemic. This review aimed to determine the aggregated prevalence of common mental health problems (e.g., depression, fear, anxiety, stress, insomnia, and suicidal tendencies) and their associated factors among community populations in South Asian countries. Following the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive literature search was undertaken using multiple databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Global Health, Google Scholar and ResearchGate to retrieve articles. Overall, 22 articles were included. The prevalence of concerns ranged widely with respect to estimates of symptoms of depression (10.2–85.9%), fear (38.5–88.8%), anxiety (8.1–62.5%), stress (10.56–91.77%), and insomnia (13.32–53.45%). In addition, the prevalence of suicidal ideation was estimated to range between 5% and 8%. Factors associated with mental health concerns included socio-demographic, behavioral and health-related measures, and COVID-19 pandemic-related stressors. The findings suggest poor mental health among general populations in South Asia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, identifying individuals with mental health concerns and implementing interventions including mental health counseling appear warranted among these populations.

Precocious puberty under stressful conditions: new understanding and insights from the lessons learnt from international adoptions and the COVID-19 pandemic

“…As mentioned above the incidence of precocious puberty, precocious menarche and accelerated puberty noticeably increased during the lockdown period ( 105 , 109 , 112 , 122 ). In general, a higher incidence of depression, anxiety and stress was also reported ( 162 , 163 ). The authors hypothesize that higher stress levels and changes in behaviour such as an increased use of electronic devices may have contributed to the rise in the incidence of CPP ( 109 , 122 ).…”