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Policy and public health implications for mental health after the COVID-19 pandemic

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

The Lancet Psychiatry, Volume: 13, Issue: 2, Pages: 162 - 174

Swansea University Author: Ann John Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1016/s2215-0366(25)00358-x

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed essential weaknesses in mental health systems and intensified existing inequities, highlighting the need for a comprehensive assessment of policy responses and strategies for future resilience. Guided by four questions relating to system adaptations, approaches to ineq...

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Published in: The Lancet Psychiatry
ISSN: 2215-0366
Published: Elsevier BV 2026
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71295
first_indexed 2026-01-22T16:01:31Z
last_indexed 2026-02-03T05:33:03Z
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recordtype SURis
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spelling 2026-02-02T15:31:48.2294166 v2 71295 2026-01-22 Policy and public health implications for mental health after the COVID-19 pandemic ed8a9c37bd7b7235b762d941ef18ee55 0000-0002-5657-6995 Ann John Ann John true false 2026-01-22 MEDS The COVID-19 pandemic revealed essential weaknesses in mental health systems and intensified existing inequities, highlighting the need for a comprehensive assessment of policy responses and strategies for future resilience. Guided by four questions relating to system adaptations, approaches to inequities, financing strategies, and evidence gaps, we synthesised evidence from a structured literature search (2020–24), expert consultation, and lived experience. We found that public health systems embedded infodemic management, expanded digital services, and mobilised community workforces, but responses varied in equity and effectiveness. Although gender, age, socioeconomic, and racial disparities worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, social protection, gender-sensitive policies, school-based services, and culturally adapted interventions showed promise. High-income countries buffered shocks with welfare measures while low-income 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 requires integrated policies spanning communication, digital and community care, gender-responsive and youth-responsive strategies, and sustainable financing, alongside investment in longitudinal and cross-national research. Journal Article The Lancet Psychiatry 13 2 162 174 Elsevier BV 2215-0366 1 2 2026 2026-02-01 10.1016/s2215-0366(25)00358-x COLLEGE NANME Medical School COLLEGE CODE MEDS Swansea University 2026-02-02T15:31:48.2294166 2026-01-22T10:09:52.7596318 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences Swansea University Medical School - Health Data Science Etheldreda Nakimuli-Mpungu 0000-0001-6857-8931 1 Celso Arango 0000-0003-3382-4754 2 Rakhi Dandona 0000-0003-0926-788x 3 Tamsin Ford 0000-0001-5295-4904 4 Ann John 0000-0002-5657-6995 5 Ayana Jordan 0000-0002-7850-8096 6 Rebecca Cherop 7 Lola Kola 0000-0003-0678-796x 8 Carlos López-Jaramillo 0000-0002-1875-1369 9 Alexandra M Schuster 0000-0002-4093-8752 10 Martin Knapp 0000-0003-1427-0215 11 Magdalena Walbaum 0000-0002-2179-9224 12 Kelvin Opiepie 13 Fabian Musoro 0000-0002-1649-8347 14 Lawrence A White 0000-0003-4459-4499 15 Dmytro Martsenkovskyi 0000-0002-6030-2698 16 Benedict Daniel Michael 0000-0002-8693-8926 17 Rory O'Connor 0000-0002-3650-4994 18 Peter B Jones 0000-0002-0387-880x 19
title Policy and public health implications for mental health after the COVID-19 pandemic
spellingShingle Policy and public health implications for mental health after the COVID-19 pandemic
Ann John
title_short Policy and public health implications for mental health after the COVID-19 pandemic
title_full Policy and public health implications for mental health after the COVID-19 pandemic
title_fullStr Policy and public health implications for mental health after the COVID-19 pandemic
title_full_unstemmed Policy and public health implications for mental health after the COVID-19 pandemic
title_sort Policy and public health implications for mental health after the COVID-19 pandemic
author_id_str_mv ed8a9c37bd7b7235b762d941ef18ee55
author_id_fullname_str_mv ed8a9c37bd7b7235b762d941ef18ee55_***_Ann John
author Ann John
author2 Etheldreda Nakimuli-Mpungu
Celso Arango
Rakhi Dandona
Tamsin Ford
Ann John
Ayana Jordan
Rebecca Cherop
Lola Kola
Carlos López-Jaramillo
Alexandra M Schuster
Martin Knapp
Magdalena Walbaum
Kelvin Opiepie
Fabian Musoro
Lawrence A White
Dmytro Martsenkovskyi
Benedict Daniel Michael
Rory O'Connor
Peter B Jones
format Journal article
container_title The Lancet Psychiatry
container_volume 13
container_issue 2
container_start_page 162
publishDate 2026
institution Swansea University
issn 2215-0366
doi_str_mv 10.1016/s2215-0366(25)00358-x
publisher Elsevier BV
college_str Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchytype
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
document_store_str 0
active_str 0
description The COVID-19 pandemic revealed essential weaknesses in mental health systems and intensified existing inequities, highlighting the need for a comprehensive assessment of policy responses and strategies for future resilience. Guided by four questions relating to system adaptations, approaches to inequities, financing strategies, and evidence gaps, we synthesised evidence from a structured literature search (2020–24), expert consultation, and lived experience. We found that public health systems embedded infodemic management, expanded digital services, and mobilised community workforces, but responses varied in equity and effectiveness. Although gender, age, socioeconomic, and racial disparities worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, social protection, gender-sensitive policies, school-based services, and culturally adapted interventions showed promise. High-income countries buffered shocks with welfare measures while low-income 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 requires integrated policies spanning communication, digital and community care, gender-responsive and youth-responsive strategies, and sustainable financing, alongside investment in longitudinal and cross-national research.
published_date 2026-02-01T05:33:45Z
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score 11.095862

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