Psychological Distress and Consequences of COVID-19 Pandemic on Different Groups

Abstract

The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is extensively spreading all over the world, causing unprecedented hazards to mental health globally. The global pandemic of COVID-19 has been strongly impacting humanity and continues to influence all segments of the population since its origin. While dealing with such a public health crisis, past experiences have witnessed generalised public fear and anxieties due to uncertainty, causality and lack of public health preparedness. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge the detrimental effect of COVID-19 on the mental health of individuals of different age groups. This chapter aims to explore the impact of this unprecedented atmosphere on the mental health of the elderly, healthcare workers, children, adolescents and young people, pre-existing mental health conditions, post COVID-19 patients, women, homeless people and refugees. The chapter presents the direct and indirect psychological impact of COVID-19 on the genera at the individual, societal and public health levels. It will discuss at length some emerging concepts of the causal routes of mental disorders and suggest some strategies to prevent and promote mental health problems in individuals during this crisis. For the general population at large, just like physical effects, it is important to address the impact of COVID-19 on mental health effects as well. Various studies reported that mental problems such as anxiety, depression and fear of getting infected were common among people of all age groups who responded to COVID-19. The important lessons to be learned so far can help to devise individual mental health recommendations, as well as improved interventions and preventions of public health approaches.