Mental Health During COVID-19
Introduction
COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted economy, social and political factors resulting in mental instability among global populations. During COVID-19, approximately 4 out of 10 people across the United States reported symptoms of depressive disorder or anxiety, a share that has increased tremendously from 1 out of 10 who reported such symptoms in 2019 (Panchal et al., 2020).
In addition, a poll carried out by KFF tracking poll from July 2020 reflected many adults reporting specific negative impacts on their mental health and well-being. The survey identified impact of mental health involving difficulties in sleeping 36%, eating difficulties 36%, increase in alcohol uptake 12%, and worse chronic conditions 12% following stress and worry over COVID-19. With the ongoing pandemic, necessary public health measures have exposed many people to poor mental health outcomes, job loss and isolation. This presentation seeks to explore mental health and substance use during and before the outbreak of coronavirus contagion. It focuses on populations that were at more risk for exposure to negative mental health consequences during coronavirus. Such populations include young adults, people who lost jobs, communities of color, and essential workers. According to the KFF data, young adults have undergone myriad pandemic-related consequences, including the closure of learning institutions and income loss, which may in turn result in mental health challenges. In the midst of the ongoing pandemic, 56% of young adults aged 18-24 years report symptoms of depressive disorder or anxiety (Glick, 2020). In comparison to the elderly, young adults have high chances of reporting substance abuse or suicidal emotions. Before the pandemic, young adults were at high risk of exposure to poor mental health and substance use disorder.
This paper seeks to explore mental health and substance use during and before the outbreak of coronavirus contagion. It focuses on populations that were at more risk for exposure to negative mental health consequences during coronavirus. Such populations include young adults, people who lost jobs, communities of color, and essential workers. According to the KFF data, young adults have undergone myriad pandemic-related consequences, including the closure of learning institutions and income loss, which may in turn result in mental health challenges. In the midst of the ongoing pandemic, 56% of young adults aged 18-24 years report symptoms of depressive disorder or anxiety (Glick, 2020). In comparison to the elderly, young adults have high chances of reporting substance abuse or suicidal emotions. Before the pandemic, young adults were at high risk of exposure to poor mental health and substance use disorder.
Significance of the Study
The study is important as it seeks to raise awareness on mental health status. Secondly, it will trigger campaign for medical health isolated people, find a sustainable solution to the ongoing mental health due to COVID-19, and create community initiatives. The study will effectively address the challenges passed by minority groups during the COVID-19 era. The study will in effect dig deep into finding sustainable solutions to the challenges of mental health among minority groups. Such solutions include setting community health groups among minority groups, providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) kits to vulnerable populations. The elderly are more vulnerable to the virus which induces stress among other psychological distress among the young adults. In addition the study will address the challenges passed by parents and school going children whose education has been brought to a halt.
Databases Used
The researcher engaged a wide array of data bases including the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) database, LitCovid, Lectures about SARs-CoV-2, Journal of visualized Experiments, and Disaster Lit. These data bases contained critical information on the spread of COVID-19 and how it has impacted families globally. Some of these sources provided adequate data for analysis of the phenomena. For instance, KFF had well-analyzed graphs on the spread of COVID-19.
Summary of Evidence
Significant research has also proofed that economic tantrums are associated with elevated rates of depression, distress, anxiety, and low self-esteem that may lead to drug and substance abuse. Adults from households with job loss or lower incomes reported higher rates of symptoms of mental illness as compared to those without a job. Mothers are more likely to report symptoms related to depressive disorder or anxiety as compared to men with children at a rate of 49% to 40% (Patrick et al., 2020). Non-Hispanic black adults share a proportion of 48%, and Latinos or Hispanics have 46%, while non-Hispanic white adults have 41% of depression disorder. In comparison with non-essential workers, essential workers are likely to report symptoms of anxiety and depression (Eagland, 2020). In addition, they are at risk of substance abuse and suicidal emotions during the pandemic (Patrick et al., 2020).
As of January 2021, 41% of adults reported symptoms associated with depressive disorder, a stable share all throughout 2020. A survey from June 2020 reflected 13% of young adults reporting increased substance abuse attributed to COVID-19 related stress, while 11% of adults reported suicidal emotions. Suicide rates have been rising and may even worsen the situation. Data collected in early 2020 reflected more drug-overdose-related deaths than there were in 2019 (Panchal et al., 2020). All through the COVID-19 pandemic, sleep disruptions, anxiety, suicidal emotions, and depression have increased among young adults. In addition, many of them have experienced pandemic-related consequences such as the closure of learning institutions, transitioning to working at home, and job losses leading to poor mental health. Findings by the KFF Health Tracking poll carried out in December indicated that households experiencing job loss were likely to report stress over COVID-19 impact on their mental health. Findings by the KFF Health Tracking poll carried out in December indicated that households experiencing job loss were likely to report stress over COVID-19 impact on their mental health (Panchal et al., 2020).
Many children have experienced pandemic-related consequences such as the closure of learning institutions. Employees also face challenges following transitioning to working at home, and job losses leading to poor mental health. Findings by the KFF Health Tracking poll carried out in December indicated that households experiencing job loss were likely to report stress over COVID-19 impact on their mental health. Findings by the KFF Health in. it can therefore be argued that COVID-19 has greatly impacted all sectors of economy profoundly.
As a way of curbing the spread of Coronavirus, many countries have enacted laws that have seen the cessation of learning services. In addition to school closure, childcare centers have also been closed across the United States and shifted to virtual learning. Research done during the pandemic has reflected concerns on poor mental health of children and their parents. Both children and parents are at disparaging times as the course of the pandemic is not known. The impacts of coronavirus have been profoundly felt by POC who have disproportionately reported high COVID-19 related deaths (Holmes, 2020). Minority groups, including Blacks and Hispanics, have reported more stress-related symptoms as compared to Whites. In addition, these communities have suffered negative financial lags, which have fueled the impact of the pandemic. In addition, black parents have been reported to have high rates of reporting mental illness due coronavirus impacts as compared to white parents on their children’s learning. Before the pandemic, minority groups stood at low chances of receiving needed behavioral health services as compared to the general population (Panchal et al., 2020). In addition, deaths associated with suicide among native American communities have been reported to be higher during the pandemic.
Conclusions and Recommendations for Future Studies
Future studies on mental health following coronavirus outbreak should seek to explore the impacts of mental health on families. It should also be established on perceptions of people who are affected on ways to curb the effects. It will be a great way of dealing with the pandemic via exploration of possible solutions. Ways of forming community-based initiatives to help individuals share problems. Community-based strategies involve government from the local point, through the state to federal.
References
Eagland, N. (2018). COVID-19: Long-term care workers ordered to work at one facility only | Vancouver Sun. Web.
Glick, P. (2020). Masks and emasculation: Why some men refuse to take safety precautions [Blog]. Web.
Holmes, E. A. (2020). Multidisciplinary research priorities for the COVID-19 pandemic: a call for action for mental health science. doi: 10.1016. S2215-0366 (20), 30168-1.
Michie, J. (2020). The covid-19 crisis–and the future of the economy and economics. Web.
Panchal, N., Kamal, R., Orgera, K., Cox, C., Garfield, R., Hamel, L., & Chidambaram, P. (2020). The implications of COVID-19 for mental health and substance use. Kaiser Family Foundation.
Patrick, S., Henkhaus, L., Zickafoose, J., Lovell, K., Halvorson, A., & Loch, S. et al. (2020). Well-being of Parents and Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Survey. Pediatrics, 146(4), e2020016824. Web.