Maternal mental health in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic: a neglected global health issue
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has profoundly impacted mental health and well-being around the globe. Public health measures to control the virus’s rapid spread, such as physical distancing, social isolation, lockdown, restricted movements, and quarantine, caused fear and panic in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Korean Society of Epidemiology
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Epidemiology and Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.e-epih.org/upload/pdf/epih-43-e2021078.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818776519251591168 |
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| author | Kobi V. Ajayi Elizabeth Wachira Obasanjo Afolabi Bolarinwa Beulah D. Suleman |
| author_facet | Kobi V. Ajayi Elizabeth Wachira Obasanjo Afolabi Bolarinwa Beulah D. Suleman |
| author_sort | Kobi V. Ajayi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has profoundly impacted mental health and well-being around the globe. Public health measures to control the virus’s rapid spread, such as physical distancing, social isolation, lockdown, restricted movements, and quarantine, caused fear and panic in the general population. Although pandemic-related stressors have been reported, changes that occur during the perinatal period compounded by those made to obstetric care guidelines may put pregnant and postpartum mothers at an increased risk of poor mental health. While an abundance of research has examined the impact of the pandemic on maternal mental health in developed nations such as Europe and America, very few studies have done so in the African continent. Considering that Africa has prominently weak health systems, poor mental health policies and infrastructure, high poverty rates, and unreliable maternal care, the pandemic is expected to have dire consequences on maternal mental health in the region. As such, multipronged mental health interventions and strategies that consider the heterogeneity within and between African regions must be developed. Doing so will close existing and widening global health disparities to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T11:14:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cc524c1b3b3f4e699862eb813737a7d4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2092-7193 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T11:14:13Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | Korean Society of Epidemiology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Epidemiology and Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-cc524c1b3b3f4e699862eb813737a7d42022-12-21T21:09:57ZengKorean Society of EpidemiologyEpidemiology and Health2092-71932021-10-014310.4178/epih.e20210781223Maternal mental health in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic: a neglected global health issueKobi V. Ajayi0Elizabeth Wachira1Obasanjo Afolabi Bolarinwa2Beulah D. Suleman3 Education, Direction, Empowerment, and Nurturing (EDEN) Foundation, Abuja, Nigeria Department of Health and Human Performance, Texas A&M University, Commerce, TX, USA Department of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa Education, Direction, Empowerment, and Nurturing (EDEN) Foundation, Abuja, NigeriaThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has profoundly impacted mental health and well-being around the globe. Public health measures to control the virus’s rapid spread, such as physical distancing, social isolation, lockdown, restricted movements, and quarantine, caused fear and panic in the general population. Although pandemic-related stressors have been reported, changes that occur during the perinatal period compounded by those made to obstetric care guidelines may put pregnant and postpartum mothers at an increased risk of poor mental health. While an abundance of research has examined the impact of the pandemic on maternal mental health in developed nations such as Europe and America, very few studies have done so in the African continent. Considering that Africa has prominently weak health systems, poor mental health policies and infrastructure, high poverty rates, and unreliable maternal care, the pandemic is expected to have dire consequences on maternal mental health in the region. As such, multipronged mental health interventions and strategies that consider the heterogeneity within and between African regions must be developed. Doing so will close existing and widening global health disparities to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.http://www.e-epih.org/upload/pdf/epih-43-e2021078.pdfcoronaviruspostpartum periodpregnancymental healthafrica |
| spellingShingle | Kobi V. Ajayi Elizabeth Wachira Obasanjo Afolabi Bolarinwa Beulah D. Suleman Maternal mental health in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic: a neglected global health issue Epidemiology and Health coronavirus postpartum period pregnancy mental health africa |
| title | Maternal mental health in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic: a neglected global health issue |
| title_full | Maternal mental health in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic: a neglected global health issue |
| title_fullStr | Maternal mental health in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic: a neglected global health issue |
| title_full_unstemmed | Maternal mental health in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic: a neglected global health issue |
| title_short | Maternal mental health in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic: a neglected global health issue |
| title_sort | maternal mental health in africa during the covid 19 pandemic a neglected global health issue |
| topic | coronavirus postpartum period pregnancy mental health africa |
| url | http://www.e-epih.org/upload/pdf/epih-43-e2021078.pdf |
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