The COVID-19 pandemic did not lead to the same mental health crisis for everyone. Research by psychologist Diana Czepiel shows that even within groups considered particularly vulnerable - such as healthcare workers and people with pre-existing mental health conditions - there were significant differences. The results suggest that during future crises, we should not only focus on at-risk groups but, above all, closely monitor those whose mental health is actually deteriorating.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was significant concern about the impact on mental health. Healthcare providers and people who already had a mental health condition were often viewed as high-risk groups. But that categorization is too simplistic, Czepiel concludes based on her research.
Among healthcare providers, she found significant differences in mental health symptoms across countries, occupational groups, and other subgroups. People with pre-existing mental health conditions also responded very differently to the pandemic. In some groups, symptoms increased, while in others they remained stable or even decreased compared to the period before the pandemic.
Interplay of Factors
These differences are linked to a combination of factors. Personal circumstances, such as having a partner, played a role, as did social support and specific concerns related to the pandemic, such as fear of infection. In addition, broader societal conditions, including a country’s level of development, were found to be associated with mental health.
In this way, Czepiel demonstrates that vulnerability cannot simply be predicted based on the label of a particular group. The fact that someone is a healthcare provider or already has mental health issues does not automatically mean that they will develop more mental health symptoms during a health crisis.
Targeting Support to Those Who Need It
This conclusion offers insights into how support can be organized during future crises. Instead of labeling entire groups as vulnerable in advance, it may be more effective to monitor mental health over an extended period. “This allows us to identify earlier who is actually experiencing an increase in symptoms and ensures that support is better tailored to individual needs,” says Czepiel.
At the same time, the focus should not be solely on the individual. Social circumstances, societal differences, and structural inequalities can also determine how vulnerable someone is during a crisis. Preventing mental health problems therefore requires a broad approach that centers both on providing timely help to people with symptoms and on addressing the circumstances in which those symptoms arise.