Ensuring equity in mental health and psychosocial support during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

Conflict and Health

Research

Karine Le Roch¹  M. Claire Greene²  Annie G. Bonz³  Andrea Armijos⁴  Leah E. James⁵  Felicity L. Brown⁶  Danielle Charlet⁷  Sabrina Hermosilla⁸  Flora Cohen⁹ 

[1] Action contre la Faim, 14 Boulevard de Douaumont, 75017, Paris, France;Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W 168th St, 10032, New York, NY, USA;HIAS, 1300 Spring Street, Suite 500, 20910, Silver Spring, MD, USA;HIAS, Ecuador, Mariscal Foch, 170143, Quito, Ecuador;Heartland Alliance International, 208 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 1300, 60604, Chicago, IL, USA;Research and Development Department, War Child Holland, Helmholtzstraat 61-G, 1098 LE, Amsterdam, The Netherlands;University Research Co., LLC, 5404 Wisconsin Ave Suite 800, 20815, Chevy Chase, MD, USA;University of Michigan, 400 4th St, 48103, Ann Arbor, MI, USA;Washington University in St. Louis, Brookings Dr, 63130, St. Louis, MO, USA;

关键词: Mental health;    Psychosocial support;    COVID-19;    Adaptations;    Equity;    Disparities;    Humanitarian;    Low- and middle-income countries;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s13031-023-00500-5

 received in 2022-09-27, accepted in 2023-01-16,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

Populations affected by armed conflict and other humanitarian crises are at elevated risk for mental health problems. While the COVID-19 pandemic has had broadly deleterious effects on livelihoods, economic well-being, and population health worldwide, vulnerable groups have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Providing mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services during these times to vulnerable groups, especially in low- and middle-income countries and humanitarian settings, is essential. In an effort to comply with the public health response to the pandemic and mitigate COVID-19 transmission, significant implementation adaptations were made to service delivery during the pandemic. This short report describes several strategies to ensure that equity was central to these adaptations and public health responses, and provides recommendations for ensuring continuity of this progress post-pandemic. Examples and key lessons learned are given related to strategies to increase access to MHPSS services, improve meaningful stakeholder engagement, develop and support community networks, and implement community-based psychosocial support groups. They come from diverse settings of Bangladesh, Colombia, Ecuador, and Lebanon. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of preventing and treating MHPSS issues. It also has created opportunities for innovative programming to address overlooked problems, improve the quality of services provided, and increase focus on equity. It is vital that we use the momentum and attention generated around MHPSS services during the COVID-19 pandemic to continue to build and improve existing MHPSS services in more equitable ways for vulnerable populations.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2023