Despite their considerable public health impact, most people with depressive disorders do not receive treatment due to barriers that limit access to high-quality care. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, depressive symptoms have sharply increased, and access-to-care barriers were magnified by physical distancing requirements. Videoconferencing is a virtual care modality that reduces access-to-care barriers and can be used to deliver cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), an evidence-based treatment for depressive disorders. However, it is unclear whether videoconference CBT effectively decreases depressive symptoms, particularly in a group therapy format.

This non-randomized study compared outcomes of group CBT for depressive disorders delivered via videoconference versus in-person.

Data on clinical outcomes (pre- and post-treatment depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms), treatment attendance, drop-out, and patient satisfaction were collected from adult outpatients of a mood disorders clinic who attended 14 weekly group CBT sessions either in-person (pre-pandemic; n=255) or via videoconference (during the pandemic; n=113).

Pre- to post-treatment decreases in depression, anxiety and stress symptoms did not differ between treatment modalities (β=–.01–.06, p>.05). These effects were robust to patient-level factors (i.e. age, sex, co-morbidities, medication use). Moreover, videoconference group CBT was associated with higher attendance (d=0.33) and lower drop-out (53% vs 70% of participants) compared with in-person group CBT.

Videoconference group CBT for depressive disorders appears to be a promising and effective alternative to in-person CBT. However, these findings should be interpreted in light of the study’s non-randomized design and the potential confounding effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study explored the enablers and challenges influencing the performance of community health volunteers (CHVs) in Machakos County, Kenya, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted healthcare systems globally, with particularly severe impacts in developing countries. Community health workers (CHWs) played a critical role in crisis communication, community engagement, case detection, referrals, and maintaining care continuity. However, limited evidence exists on the factors enabling and hindering their performance during the pandemic.

This study employed a convergent mixed-methods design, integrating focus group discussions (FGDs), in-depth interviews (IDIs), and structured data extraction from the Kenya Health Information System (KHIS). Analysis of the data was guided by Agarwal et al.’s conceptual framework for measuring community health workforce performance with the quantitative data being analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data being analyzed through thematic analysis.

CHVs effectively disseminated COVID-19 information, addressed vaccine hesitancy, and mobilized communities, supported by training, supervision, and community recognition. Their efforts led to significant improvements in healthcare services, including increased household visits, immunizations, and maternal health referrals. Despite their contributions, CHVs faced challenges such as delayed stipends, limited resources, and occasional community stigma, which hindered performance. Social support networks, community appreciation, and priority healthcare access emerged as key enablers, fostering resilience and motivation. Improved reporting mechanisms also highlighted CHVs’ expanded roles during the pandemic.

This study underscores the critical role of CHVs in sustaining healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite facing financial, logistical, and social barriers. Their resilience and adaptability led to significant improvements in key health services, supported by effective supervision and training. Strengthening systemic support, integrating CHVs into long-term strategies, and enhancing community recognition are essential to maximize their impact in future health challenges.

We sought to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted community-engaged research (CEnR) from both researcher and community partner perspectives, identify challenges and facilitators affecting their experiences, and describe desired supports for CEnR during future health crises.

We conducted semi-structured, virtual interviews with ten researchers and eight partners who conducted or collaborated on CEnR during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interviews were recorded and transcribed for analysis. We analyzed the transcribed data thematically through an iterative process involving memoing, consensus coding, and reviewing memos and code reports to identify and describe key categories and themes.

Challenges identified were related to wellbeing and personal circumstances, such as feeling burnt out, managing increased caregiving responsibilities, or concern about risk of illness; institutional barriers, such as inflexible and burdensome financial, regulatory, and administrative policies; and virtual engagement, such as distractions, limited Internet access, or difficulty forming relationships online. Facilitators fell into two categories. Foundational factors such as strong existing partnerships, funding, and project-specific circumstances were critical to facilitating CEnR activities. Strategy-based facilitators focused on overcoming challenges and included communication, flexibility, risk mitigation, and utilizing techniques to enhance virtual engagement. Desired supports included flexible funding, resources for navigating research during crises, and increased virtual engagement accessibility and guidance.

By better understanding challenges and facilitators affecting experiences of researchers and community partners during the COVID-19 pandemic, we can develop strategies and resources to better support CEnR partnerships during future crises.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on psycho-social, economic, and biological factors on depression trajectories are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to determine the association of pandemic-related social and economic risk factors with depression. This baseline survey provides a foundation for the longitudinal panel study to assess the trajectory of psychopathologies and mental health resilience as the societal recovery from this pandemic occurs.

We telephonically surveyed 2000 randomly selected participants 18 years-and-older, stratified by 2 cosmopolitan cities in the high middle-income former-Soviet country of Kazakhstan. Survey-adjusted Poisson regression analyses produced probable depression (CESD-16) prevalence ratios (PRs) for COVID-19 death and disease, economic duress, and other socio-psychological factors.

Household suspected having-or-diagnosed with COVID-19 with prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.48 (95% CI 1.09-2.02; P = 0·013), friends/coworkers diagnosed with COVD-19 with PR = 1.43 (1.04-1.95; P = 0.026), lost employment PR = 1.80 (1.04-3.11; P = 0.037), and insufficient income for food PR = 1.54 (1.15-2.06; P = 0.004) were independently associated with depression. Having COVID-19 deaths among family/friends or acquaintances/coworkers were not associated with depression, but family stress had a dose-response association, with PR = 13.42 (7.11-25.32; P < 0.001) for very high stress.

The study findings can inform future effective interventions and policies for protecting population mental health during and after extended periods of the pandemics.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted global mental health, with individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) being particularly vulnerable. Research on changes in psychiatric symptoms during this pandemic has yielded inconsistent results, often due to individual heterogeneity and a limited focus on broader outcomes such as psychosocial functioning, societal and personal recovery, and quality of life (QoL). Furthermore, long-term effects remain underexplored. This longitudinal cohort study aimed to assess the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on mental and psychosocial functioning, QoL, and recovery in individuals with SMI, and to explore individual and treatment characteristics associated with outcome changes.

Two cohorts were included, involving adults (≥18 years) diagnosed with DSM-5 disorders and experiencing long-term impairments. Participants received care between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2023. Outcomes included the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales, the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life, and the Individual Recovery Outcomes Counter. Changes were analyzed across five pandemic periods using linear mixed models.

Improvements in mental and psychosocial functioning, QoL, and recovery were observed over time, regardless of the COVID-19 pandemic period. However, progress was slower during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-pandemic levels. No individual or treatment characteristics were significantly linked to changes in outcomes.

The findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic had a minimal negative impact on individuals with SMI. This may be due to the marginal negative effects of the pandemic on this population, or the mitigating role of stabilizing factors within the current Dutch care models.

The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns had a significant impact on mental well-being and (mental) healthcare systems globally.

To describe trends and dynamics of out-patient prescribing of psychotropic medications during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Netherlands.

Dispensed psychotropic medication prescriptions during the COVID-19 pandemic from March 2020 to March 2022 were retrieved from national registry data. Numbers of total and incident dispensed prescriptions and defined daily doses (DDDs) were identified for six medication groups. Overall pandemic-related changes in prescribing trends were analysed using interrupted time-series analyses. Lockdown-related prescribing dynamics were described using monthly risk ratios.

No overall pandemic-related changes in prescribing were detected, except for alcohol addiction medication, for which a pre-pandemic decline in total dispensed prescriptions and DDDs levelled off during the pandemic: +10 prescriptions per week (95% CI 7–11, P ≤ 0.001) and +111 DDDs per week (95% CI 56–165, P = 0.001). Monthly prescribing dynamics showed transient increases in all medication groups during the second and third lockdown periods. There were decreases in dispensed incident antidepressant and opioid addiction medication prescriptions during the first lockdown (average risk ratios: 0.87 and 0.88 respectively), and DDDs of dispensed incident and total attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder medication prescriptions and incident benzodiazepine prescriptions were elevated from the end of the second lockdown (average risk ratios: 1.40, 1.12 and 1.17, respectively).

These findings raise concerns regarding possible over- and under-prescribing during the pandemic. Further understanding of specific factors driving these changes is necessary to help prepare for future mental health(care) challenges.

Determining whether the incidence of suicidal behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic changed for those with severe mental disorders is essential to ensure the provision of suicide preventive initiatives in the case of future health crises.

Using population-based registers, quarterly cohorts from the first quarter of 2018 (2018Q1) to 2021Q4 were formed including all Swedish-residents >10 years old. Interrupted time series and generalized estimating equations analyses were used to evaluate changes in Incidence Rates (IR) of specialised healthcare use for suicide attempt and death by suicide per 10 000 person-years for individuals with or without specific severe mental disorders (SMDs) during, compared to before the pandemic.

The IR (95% Confidence interval, CI) of suicide in individuals with SMDs decreased from 16.0 (15.0–17.1) in 2018Q1 to 11.6 (10.8–12.5) in 2020Q1 (i.e. the quarter before the start of the pandemic), after which it dropped further to 6.7 (6.3–7.2) in 2021Q2. In contrast, IRs of suicide attempt in SMDs showed more stable trends, as did the trends regarding suicide and suicide attempt for individuals without SMD. These discrepancies were most evident for individuals with substance use disorder and ASD/ADHD. Changes in IRs of suicide v. suicide attempt for one quarter during the pandemic for substance misuse were 11.2% v. 3.6% respectively. These changes for ASD/ADHD were 10.7% v. 3.6%.

The study shows pronounced decreases in suicide rates in individuals with SMDs during the pandemic. Further studies aiming to understand mechanisms behind these trends are warranted to consult future suicide prevention strategies.