Researchers are now using large national and international data sets, such as the COVID States Project, to examine changes in our mental health as a result of the COVID pandemic and efforts to contain its spread.
In an interview with Nature, Dr. Luana Marques, Director of Community Psychiatry PRIDE at MGH, raises concerns about the long-term impact of the pandemic. Looking back at data gathered from the 9/11 terrorist attack in New York, she notes that for some people, psychological distress has persisted for years. According to a study of more than 36,000 New York residents and rescue workers, it was observed 14% still had post-traumatic stress disorder and 15% experienced depression more than 14 years after the attack.
While the pandemic is certainly a crisis, this article highlights opportunities for us to learn more about the impact of such events on our mental health: “Scientists running large, detailed international studies say that they might eventually be able to show how particular COVID-control measures — such as lockdowns or restrictions on social interaction — reduce or exacerbate mental-health stress, and whether some populations, such as minority ethnic groups, are disproportionately affected by certain policies. That could help to inform the response in this pandemic and future ones.”
Read More:
COVID’s mental-health toll: how scientists are tracking a surge in depression (Nature News)
Luana Marques, PhD
Luana Marques, PhD is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School (HMS), the Director of the Community Psychiatry Program for Research in Implementation and Dissemination of Evidence-Based Treatments (PRIDE) at MGH, and the President of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). Dr. Marques’ research has focused on innovative implementation models with the goal of improving access to mental health services.
