Research has shown that the Covid-19 pandemic increased the prevalence and severity of common mental disorders among people suffering from infection, health care workers, and in the general population. But while nearly everyone’s mental health has been adversely impacted by the pandemic, there’s growing evidence that marginalized communities have been disproportionately affected. We hope that collective research efforts can shape policy that better addresses the mental health of marginalized communities during future large-scale public health threats.
Examples of that research are presented in a special issue co-edited by us both and published by Frontiers in Public Health. In a commentary that accompanies it, we explore the impact that Covid-19 has had on the mental health of those who typically bear a disproportionate burden of disease due to intersecting systems of discrimination and disadvantage. Articles expose the damage from these systems in health crises from Bangladesh to Zambia to Brazil. Amid the pandemic, even the war in Ukraine led to a mental health crisis, further highlighting the necessity of strengthening mental health systems to be resilient and responsive to calamities as they arise. But they also must fulfill the needs of the communities they serve in an inclusive and equitable fashion.
This special issue of Frontiers in Public Health examines how structural-level forces (i.e., the role of Covid-related policies, as well as the pandemic-related disruption of essential services) impacted the mental health of marginalized communities, and it provides examples of methods to bridge structural-level challenges (e.g., via telehealth). More specifically, it documents the prevalence of mental disorders within marginalized communities at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, describes the adverse impact of pandemic prevention policies on mental health, evaluates program innovations to improve service access, provides digital and tele-health solutions to overcoming barriers to care, and highlights the critical role played by civil society organizations and social safety nets in pandemic response.
The issue presents a geographically diverse set of research papers: from Southeast Asia, South Asia, Africa, South America and the UK, and one scoping review with cross-regional coverage. It also addresses a range of marginalized communities including displaced populations, migrant workers, the urban poor, adolescents and young adults in low-resource settings, ethnic minorities and people who use drugs. We are confident that this special issue makes a unique contribution to the literature.
Peter Navario, PhD, MPH
Clinical Associate Professor of Public Health Policy and Management; CEO of HealthRight International
Lawrence Yang, PhD
Chair and Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences: Founding Director of the Global Mental Health and Stigma Program