Community‐based decentralized mental health services are essential to prevent the epidemic turn of post‐Covid mental disorders in Bangladesh: A call to action

Abstract

The number of people suffering from mental illnesses has increased across the world. [1][2][3][4][5] Mental health has become an important issue than ever during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. [6][7][8][9] The pandemic has tremendously affected the health and life of people across the world. The prevalence of anxiety and depression has increased by 25% due to the Covid-19 pandemic worldwide. 10 The European Union (EU) countries reported mental disorders ranging from 16.1% to 54.8% since the beginning of the ongoing Factors associated with the poor mental health of people in 26 European countries were female sex, scarcity of healthcare services, financial crisis, and job loss during the Moreover, a meta-analysis reported that both sexes have similar infection rates; however, the increased severity and mortality due to Covid-19 were associated with the male sex. 12 Another metaanalysis showed that people aged 70 years or more have a higher risk of infection, a higher risk of developing severe symptoms, a higher need for intensive care support, and a higher risk of mortality than individuals under 70. 13 As a developing country in South East Asia, many people in Bangladesh have lost their jobs and income sources during the Covid-19 pandemic. Unemployment and poverty have increased throughout the country due to pandemic effects. 14 Also, additional fear of getting infected, death of close relatives and family members, and altered lifestyle to manage the pandemic crisis severely impacted the mental health of people across the globe. [15][16][17][18][19][20] We reported in our previous study that the prevalence of different mental disorders ranged from 38% to 73% among the general population in Bangladesh during the Covid-19 pandemic. 1,2 We anticipate that the actual prevalence and gravity of mental disorders are more serious than the reported results. Over the past few decades, the healthcare system across the world has improved to ensure better medical care for people. Medical care is now more selfdirected, information is now more accessible, and health-driving factors are now a top priority for global authorities. 21 | THE PRESENT SITUATION OF MENTAL DISORDERS AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN BANGLADESHBangladesh is a densely populated lower-middle-income country in Southeast Asia. 22 A door-to-door prevalence survey reported that 18.7% of adults and 12.6% of children met the criteria of mental disorders in Bangladesh. At least 30 million people in Bangladesh have mental disorders. 23 Therefore, primary, secondary, and tertiary level mental health services (MHS) are essential in Bangladesh. But the country does not have a structured mental healthcare system. In Bangladesh, mental health professionals (MHP) include psychiatrists, nurses, clinical psychologists, and counseling psychologists. 24

Association between flaunting behaviors on social media and among the general population in Bangladesh: A cross‐sectional study

“…As of April 2022, there were five billion internet users globally with 4.65 billion being social media users 3 . The widespread adoption of social media demonstrates its propensity to influence the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of people in both high and low‐resource settings 4 . Social networking sites (SNS) such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, etc., are among the most well‐known websites worldwide.…”

Internet addiction and loneliness among school-going adolescents in Bangladesh in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a cross-sectional study

“…Also, we reported the overall prevalence of loneliness among the general population was 71% in Bangladesh in our earlier study [ 41 , 42 ]. During the pandemic, most of the school-going kids were under quarantine, not able to go to school, play outdoors or socialize properly, the adolescents spent most of their time online be it for educational or recreational purposes and this could be a key point for their loneliness and IA [ [43] , [44] , [45] , [46] , [47] ]. The governments of Bangladesh had to implement a lot of measures including school closures, social distancing, and quarantine in response to the COVID-19 epidemic.…”

The WHO has declared the end of pandemic phase of COVID‐19: Way to come back in the normal life

“…37 emphasizing the need for countries to work together to develop and distribute vaccines, share information, and coordinate public health measures. 38,39 According to the latest vaccination report of COVID-19, as of April 30, 2023, more than 13 billion vaccine doses have been administered worldwide. Among the vaccine recipients, more than 5.5 billion individuals have received at least one dose, accounting for a percentage of 71.07 per 100 population.…”

“…They have also provided humanitarian aid to countries severely impacted by the pandemic, including medical supplies, financial support, and technical assistance. In addition to that, they have been advocating for global cooperation and solidarity in the fight against COVID‐19, emphasizing the need for countries to work together to develop and distribute vaccines, share information, and coordinate public health measures 38,39 …”