The COVID-19 pandemic as a catalyst for integrated global mental healthcare and tuberculosis care

Alexander L Chu; Aneeta Pasha; Carmen Contreras; Leonid Lecca; Annika C Sweetland; Jerome T Galea

doi:10.1192/bji.2023.3

The COVID-19 pandemic as a catalyst for integrated global mental healthcare and tuberculosis care

BJPsych Int. 2023 Aug;20(3):64-67. doi: 10.1192/bji.2023.3.

Authors

Alexander L Chu¹, Aneeta Pasha², Carmen Contreras³, Leonid Lecca⁴, Annika C Sweetland⁵, Jerome T Galea⁶

Affiliations

¹ MPhilPH, Department of Medical Education, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA. Email alexanderchu248@utexas.edu.
² MA, Interactive Research and Development, Karachi, Pakistan.
³ BA, Socios En Salud, Lima, Peru.
⁴ MD, Socios En Salud, Lima, Peru.
⁵ DrPH, MSW, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons/New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA.
⁶ PhD, MSW, College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, School of Social Work, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.

Abstract

Mental disorders are common among persons with tuberculosis (TB), and the COVID-19 pandemic has only amplified the mental and physical health consequences of this deadly synergy. Here, we call to attention the immense vulnerability of people with TB to mental disorders during the pandemic and highlight the unique challenges and opportunities that the pandemic brings to the future integration of global TB and mental healthcare. We argue that the pandemic era is an ideal period to accelerate this integration and we provide research and policy recommendations to actualise this urgent need.

Keywords: COVID-19; Tuberculosis; anxiety disorders; depressive disorders; global mental health.

Publication types

Review