Introduction
The current outbreak of a new coronavirus that was first detected to affect humans in Wuhan (China) and, in a short time, spread globally, has an impact on the health of people all over the world. The resources of medical organizations are employed to combat the virus and provide all necessary medication and care to the infected people. However, it might be argued that the problem of mental health of the population and the level in which it was impacted, has not yet received adequate attention. In light of this, an appropriate question for nursing research may be related to the strategies and possible actions of nurses for providing the improvement of the mental health of the people affected (or supposed to be) by a coronavirus. Approach to this problem requires, prior to performing evidence-based practice (qualitative research), the examination of its theoretical and factual basis, which is available up to date. Such a review will be provided in this paper, helping to create the appropriate focus and form the objectives for the following research.
Main body
First, the analysis of the factors within the pandemic situation, which may affect public mental health, should be undertaken. The first group of such determinants that cause stress and anxiety among the people includes direct, or objective, factors. They include influence on daily behaviors and disturbance of the routine; impact on the economy, including people’s personal income in the quarantine situation; cutting access to the medical, educational, and other social institutes (Torales et al., 2020). The second group may be called indirect, or subjective, determinants, which include people’s perception of the situation. The level of fear, anxiety, panic is usually evaluated as unreasonably excessive, inappropriate to the actual condition. Thus, Shigemura et al. (2020), describing the situation in Japan, state: “as of 3 February 2020, no one had died directly from coronavirus infection… However, a government worker who had been in charge of isolated returnees died from apparent suicide” (p. 281). One of the reasons for such cases is the lack of distributed information or its credibility. Meanwhile, people tend to imagine the real situation more seriously than it is, and such “fear of the unknown” leads to higher anxiety (Torales et al., 2020, p. 3). Besides, the result of it may be the weakening of immunity, which, in turn, raises the chance to get infected.
Second, the focus groups, i.e., the most vulnerable categories of people, have to be identified. Those are, as recognized by previous research, “individuals with prior psychiatric diagnose,” as well as people with “underlying diseases including diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease” (Torales et al., 2020, p. 2). These people need to be addressed with the special attention of nurses, and sometimes of professional mental specialists.
Third, the particular symptoms of the affected mental health should be considered. As previous research demonstrated, the outbreak is leading to “additional health problems such as stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, insomnia, denial, anger, and fear globally” (Torales et al., 2020, p. 1). It may also be accompanied by social distancing, as well as stigma and misperception towards the infected people.
Fourth, the theoretical basis for the research might be found by investigating the previous cases of global pandemics. Torales et al. (2020) point out that the earlier pandemics of coronaviruses MERS and SARS-CoV may serve, to some extent, as a parallel to the current situation, and, thus, a source for possible solutions at present.
Conclusion
In summary, there are several aspects of the specified research question which need prior factual and theoretical education of the nurses before performing evidence-based practice. They are the factors affecting mental health, focus groups of the most vulnerable people, particular symptoms of distracted mental health, and possible solutions derived from the previous pandemic situations. These factors may help to interpret evidence received during the research, as well as analyze them and choose the proper strategies of nursing practices.
References
Shigemura, J., Ursano, R. J., Morganstein, J. C., Kurosava, M., & Benedek, D. M. (2020). Public responses to the novel 2019 coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Japan: Mental health consequences and target populations. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences,74(4), 281-282. Web.
Torales, J., O’Higgins, M., Castaldelli-Maia, J. M., & Ventriglio, A. (2020). The outbreak of COVID-19 coronavirus and its impact on global mental health. International Journal of Social Psychiatry. Web.