The Covid-19 pandemic has come to transform the lives of the world’s population. Since the first cases were confirmed in the city of Wuhan in China, it has infected more than 247 million people and caused the death of five million people worldwide. Although that is not all because it has also caused other types of effects, especially within mental health.
In this regard, a survey conducted by the Pharmaceutical Viatris shows that the pandemic also brought negative effects on the mental health of patients, especially those living with Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, mental disorders or cancer whose treatments had to be paused due to the situation sanitary.
Covid-19 and mental health
According to Dr. Chi Lem, Medical Director of Viatris Mexico, this survey published in the Journal of Patient Experience shows that patients with noncommunicable diseases were profoundly affected in their lifestyle and behavior after seeking to improve their health. It also considers that, depending on the condition, the spread of Covid-19 could worsen the patient’s condition or a new serious event could develop.
“It is important to keep in mind that the main health care providers, the doctors, are on the front lines of the fight against the pandemic. It should be noted that they now have a greater workload, so many have had to deal with episodes of anxiety and depression.
According to the aforementioned report, the fear of Covid-19 has also negatively affected the mental health of patients. 16 percent of people interviewed reported visiting a healthcare professional or requesting assistance remotely during the pandemic. While less than 10 percent had been in a hospital to control their illness and more than 70.9 percent of those surveyed said they felt very worried about getting infected while receiving medical care or waiting inside the health center for long periods of time.
“At Viatris Mexico we are committed to contributing to more accessible medical care and offering a better perspective of mental health. We firmly believe that patients need support and guidance to live the healthiest way through each stage of life. Therefore, we have continued our work to empower health professionals and help them provide better data that helps us understand the problems and optimally care for their patients through scientific publications and surveys”.
To conclude, the Medical Director of Viatris Mexico mentioned that mental illnesses are currently a serious public health problem. They affect behavior and the ability to socialize, causing a decrease in quality of life.
