EMBARGOED NEWS RELEASE: COVID-19 disrupting mental health services in most countries, WHO survey finds
| No images? Click here  UNDER STRICT EMBARGO UNTIL 12.01 CEST (Geneva time) 5 October 2020 COVID-19 disrupting mental health services in most countries, WHO survey finds World Mental Health Day on 10 October to highlight urgent need to increase investment in chronically underfunded sector GENEVA – 5 October 2020 The survey was published ahead of WHO’s Big Event for Mental Health – a global online advocacy event on 10 October that will bring together world leaders, celebrities, and advocates to call for increased mental health investments in the wake of COVID-19. WHO has previously highlighted the chronic underfunding of mental health: prior to the pandemic, countries were spending less than 2 per cent of their national health budgets on mental health, and struggling to meet their populations’ needs. And the pandemic is increasing demand for mental health services. Bereavement, isolation, loss of income and fear are triggering mental health conditions or exacerbating existing ones. Many people may be facing increased levels of alcohol and drug use, insomnia, and anxiety. Meanwhile, COVID-19 itself can lead to neurological and mental complications, such as delirium, agitation, and stroke. People with pre-existing mental, neurological or substance use disorders are also more vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection - they may stand a higher risk of severe outcomes and even death. Survey finds major disruptions to critical mental health services The survey was conducted from June to August 2020 among 130 countries across WHO’s six regions. It evaluates how the provision of mental, neurological and substance use services has changed due to COVID-19, the types of services that have been disrupted, and how countries are adapting to overcome these challenges. Countries reported widespread disruption of many kinds of critical mental health services: · Over 60% reported disruptions to mental health services for vulnerable people, including children and adolescents (72%), older adults (70%), and women requiring antenatal or postnatal services (61%). · 67% saw disruptions to counseling and psychotherapy; 65% to critical harm reduction services; and 45% to opioid agonist maintenance treatment for opioid dependence. · Nearly a third (35%) reported disruptions to emergency interventions, including those for people experiencing prolonged seizures; severe substance use withdrawal syndromes, and delirium, often a sign of a serious underlying medical condition. · 30% reported disruptions to access for medications for mental, neurological and substance use disorders. · Nearly three-quarters reported at least partial disruptions to school and workplace mental health services (78% and 75% respectively). While many countries (70%) have adopted telemedicine or teletherapy to overcome disruptions to in-person services, there are significant disparities in the uptake of these interventions. More than 80% of high-income countries reported deploying telemedicine and teletherapy to bridge gaps in mental health, compared with less than 50% of low-income countries. WHO has issued guidance to countries on how to maintain essential services - including mental health services - during COVID-19 and recommends that countries allocate resources to mental health as an integral component of their response and recovery plans. The Organization also urges countries to monitor changes and disruptions in services so that they can address them as required. Although 89% of countries reported in the survey that mental health and psychosocial support is part of their national COVID-19 response plans, only 17% of these countries have full additional funding for covering these activities. This all highlights the need for more money for mental health. As the pandemic continues, even greater demand will be placed on national and international mental health programmes that have suffered from years of chronic underfunding. Spending 2% of national health budgets on mental health is not enough. International funders also need to do more: mental health still receive less than 1% of international aid earmarked for health. Those who do invest in mental health will reap rewards. Pre-COVID-19 estimates reveal that nearly US$1 trillion in economic productivity is lost annually from depression and anxiety alone. However, studies show that every US$1 spent on evidence-based care for depression and anxiety returns US$5.  NOTE - WHO will host a virtual press conference (VPC) on the results of the survey WHEN: Monday 5 October 2020 at 10:00 CEST SPEAKER: Dévora Kestel, Director, Department of Mental Health and Substance Use, WHO Dial in details: https://who-e.zoom.us/j/92153965332 Password: MSD2020 Phone: · Webinar ID: 921 5396 5332 · Numeric passcode for phone: 8218307 · International numbers available: https://who-e.zoom.us/u/acVtNAx1ZC  Note on World Mental Health Day: Mobilizing the global community to #MoveforMentalHeatlh On World Mental Health Day (Saturday, 10 October), as part of its campaign Move for mental health: let’s invest, WHO is inviting the global community to take part in The Big Event for Mental Health, an unprecedented online advocacy event that will call for increased investment in mental health at all levels – from individuals to businesses to countries to civil society – so the world can begin to close gaps highlighted by today’s report. The Big Event is free and open to the public, will be broadcast on 10 October from 16:00 to 19:00 CEST on WHO’s YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and LinkedIn channels and website. For updated information about the Big Event for Mental Health, including the latest lineup of performances and participants, visit the Big Event web page. To learn more about World Mental Health Day, visit WHO’s campaign page. Media contacts: Alison Brunier - bruniera@who.int; +41 79 701 9480 Carla Drysdale - cdrysdale@who.int; +41 79 716 4546  You are receiving this email because you are included on a WHO mail list.  |
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