About this Research Topic
The COVID-19 outbreak has impacted many areas of our lives, including mental health. Lockdown and physical distancing measures have been one major effective intervention to counter the spread of the virus and reduce the impact of the disease. However, they negatively impacted mental wellbeing and behaviors, either triggering the onset of new psychiatric symptoms or amplifying pre-existing ones. The pandemic and lockdown measures have also been associated with reduced access to treatment and facilities, further worsening mental health outcomes. The impact on mental health, although universal, varied between nations. Culture and societal variables, including norms, values, religion, and stigma have played an important role in shaping COVID-19-related mental health symptoms, including anxiety, depression, grief, and addiction. These sociocultural factors have also molded how mental health interventions are tailored and provided. Highlighting the intertwining relation between the pandemic, mental health, and social factors are essential to adequately manage emerging mental health symptoms.
The limited research about the relationship between mental health, sociocultural factors, and the COVID-19 pandemic amplifies the lack of awareness about this topic and the importance of developing socio-culturally tailored interventions to treat affected patients. The purpose of this Research Topic, therefore, is to assess the intricate relationship between socio-cultural, environmental, and local factors and the personal and national management of COVID-19. This Research Topic will look, in particular, into how such factors can influence or have influenced the personal and national management of the pandemic.
Of interest will be articles addressing the following questions:
• What is the impact of your culture, norms, values, or religion on attitudes towards patients with COVID-19?
• What is the impact of your cultural norms, values, or religion on attitudes towards patients with mental disorders? How did the COVID-19 outbreak impact these attitudes?
• How did culture and society in your country or geographic area shape the manifestations of COVID-19-related mental health outcomes? Areas to discuss include mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, grief, and addiction.
• How did culture and society in your country or geographic area shape the management of COVID-19-related mental health outcomes? Areas to discuss include mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, grief, and addiction.
• How were religious beliefs and rituals affected during the COVID-19 outbreak? What were the consequences on mental health outcomes? Areas to discuss include grief and coping skills.
The limited research about the relationship between mental health, sociocultural factors, and the COVID-19 pandemic amplifies the lack of awareness about this topic and the importance of developing socio-culturally tailored interventions to treat affected patients. The purpose of this Research Topic, therefore, is to assess the intricate relationship between socio-cultural, environmental, and local factors and the personal and national management of COVID-19. This Research Topic will look, in particular, into how such factors can influence or have influenced the personal and national management of the pandemic.
Of interest will be articles addressing the following questions:
• What is the impact of your culture, norms, values, or religion on attitudes towards patients with COVID-19?
• What is the impact of your cultural norms, values, or religion on attitudes towards patients with mental disorders? How did the COVID-19 outbreak impact these attitudes?
• How did culture and society in your country or geographic area shape the manifestations of COVID-19-related mental health outcomes? Areas to discuss include mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, grief, and addiction.
• How did culture and society in your country or geographic area shape the management of COVID-19-related mental health outcomes? Areas to discuss include mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, grief, and addiction.
• How were religious beliefs and rituals affected during the COVID-19 outbreak? What were the consequences on mental health outcomes? Areas to discuss include grief and coping skills.
Keywords: COVID-19, Pandemic, Mental illness, Culture, Society, `
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
