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Mental health after the COVID-19 pandemic: Policy and public health

Ann John Orcid Logo, Etheldreda Nakimuli-Mpungu, Prof Celso Arango, Prof Rakhi Dandona, Prof Tamsin Ford, Prof Ayana Jordan, Rebecca Cherop, Lola Kola, Prof Carlos López-Jaramillo, Alexandra M Schuster, Kelvin Opiepie, Fabian Musoro, Lawrence A. White, Dmytro Martsenkovskyi, Prof Benedict Daniel Michael, Prof Rory O’Connor, Prof Peter B. Jones

The Lancet Psychiatry

Swansea University Author: Ann John Orcid Logo

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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed critical weaknesses in mental health systems and intensified existing inequities, highlighting the need for a comprehensive assessment of policy responses and strategies for future resilience. We synthesised evidence from a structured literature search (2020–2024), exp...

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Published in: The Lancet Psychiatry
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa70928
first_indexed 2025-11-18T16:01:26Z
last_indexed 2026-01-08T05:21:35Z
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spelling 2026-01-07T14:43:01.2961117 v2 70928 2025-11-18 Mental health after the COVID-19 pandemic: Policy and public health ed8a9c37bd7b7235b762d941ef18ee55 0000-0002-5657-6995 Ann John Ann John true false 2025-11-18 MEDS The COVID-19 pandemic revealed critical weaknesses in mental health systems and intensified existing inequities, highlighting the need for a comprehensive assessment of policy responses and strategies for future resilience. We synthesised evidence from a structured literature search (2020–2024), expert consultation, and lived-experience contributions, guided by four questions on system adaptations, approaches to inequities, financing strategies, and evidence gaps. Public health systems embedded infodemic management, expanded digital services, and mobilised community workforces, but responses varied in equity and effectiveness. Gender, age, socioeconomic, and racial disparities worsened, though social protection, gender-sensitive policies, school-based services, and culturally adapted interventions showed promise. High-income countries buffered shocks with welfare measures, while low- and middle-income countries faced sharp fiscal constraints. Few studies evaluated cost-effectiveness, or equity impacts of psychosocial interventions. Building resilient, equitable mental health systems require integrated policies spanning communication, digital and community care, gender- and youth-responsive strategies, and sustainable financing, alongside investment in longitudinal and cross-national research Journal Article The Lancet Psychiatry 0 0 0 0001-01-01 COLLEGE NANME Medical School COLLEGE CODE MEDS Swansea University 2026-01-07T14:43:01.2961117 2025-11-18T08:46:23.1034711 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences Swansea University Medical School - Health Data Science Ann John 0000-0002-5657-6995 1 Etheldreda Nakimuli-Mpungu 2 Prof Celso Arango 3 Prof Rakhi Dandona 4 Prof Tamsin Ford 5 Prof Ayana Jordan 6 Rebecca Cherop 7 Lola Kola 8 Prof Carlos López-Jaramillo 9 Alexandra M Schuster 10 Kelvin Opiepie 11 Fabian Musoro 12 Lawrence A. White 13 Dmytro Martsenkovskyi 14 Prof Benedict Daniel Michael 15 Prof Rory O’Connor 16 Prof Peter B. Jones 17 70928__35907__26626756c3b047f2bce0d43a7ce9ed92.pdf 70928.AAM.pdf 2026-01-07T14:10:36.9583321 Output 371247 application/pdf Accepted Manuscript true 2026-02-07T00:00:00.0000000 Author accepted manuscript document released under the terms of a Creative Commons CC-BY licence using the Swansea University Research Publications Policy (rights retention). true eng
title Mental health after the COVID-19 pandemic: Policy and public health
spellingShingle Mental health after the COVID-19 pandemic: Policy and public health
Ann John
title_short Mental health after the COVID-19 pandemic: Policy and public health
title_full Mental health after the COVID-19 pandemic: Policy and public health
title_fullStr Mental health after the COVID-19 pandemic: Policy and public health
title_full_unstemmed Mental health after the COVID-19 pandemic: Policy and public health
title_sort Mental health after the COVID-19 pandemic: Policy and public health
author_id_str_mv ed8a9c37bd7b7235b762d941ef18ee55
author_id_fullname_str_mv ed8a9c37bd7b7235b762d941ef18ee55_***_Ann John
author Ann John
author2 Ann John
Etheldreda Nakimuli-Mpungu
Prof Celso Arango
Prof Rakhi Dandona
Prof Tamsin Ford
Prof Ayana Jordan
Rebecca Cherop
Lola Kola
Prof Carlos López-Jaramillo
Alexandra M Schuster
Kelvin Opiepie
Fabian Musoro
Lawrence A. White
Dmytro Martsenkovskyi
Prof Benedict Daniel Michael
Prof Rory O’Connor
Prof Peter B. Jones
format Journal article
container_title The Lancet Psychiatry
institution Swansea University
college_str Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
department_str Swansea University Medical School - Health Data Science{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences{{{_:::_}}}Swansea University Medical School - Health Data Science
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description The COVID-19 pandemic revealed critical weaknesses in mental health systems and intensified existing inequities, highlighting the need for a comprehensive assessment of policy responses and strategies for future resilience. We synthesised evidence from a structured literature search (2020–2024), expert consultation, and lived-experience contributions, guided by four questions on system adaptations, approaches to inequities, financing strategies, and evidence gaps. Public health systems embedded infodemic management, expanded digital services, and mobilised community workforces, but responses varied in equity and effectiveness. Gender, age, socioeconomic, and racial disparities worsened, though social protection, gender-sensitive policies, school-based services, and culturally adapted interventions showed promise. High-income countries buffered shocks with welfare measures, while low- and middle-income countries faced sharp fiscal constraints. Few studies evaluated cost-effectiveness, or equity impacts of psychosocial interventions. Building resilient, equitable mental health systems require integrated policies spanning communication, digital and community care, gender- and youth-responsive strategies, and sustainable financing, alongside investment in longitudinal and cross-national research
published_date 0001-01-01T05:32:45Z
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