Mental Health Needs Assessment During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Consensus Based on Delphi Study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Mental Health Services Research
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant gaps in mental health care, including unrecognized and unmet needs.
• Assessing these needs and identifying service gaps during the crisis was crucial for effective intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To accurately assess mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To identify critical gaps in mental health service provision.
• To derive actionable recommendations for improving mental health support during crises.

Main Methods:

• A Delphi study involving decision-makers, experts, and mental health service users.
• Two working groups developed an initial set of emergency measures based on international recommendations and field experiences.
• Two rounds of Delphi consensus-building were conducted to refine and prioritize activities.

Main Results:

• A total of 41 mental health activities were identified and prioritized.
• The majority of activities received high ratings (score of 4 or more).
• Key areas for improvement include systemic and service-level measures, emphasizing local accessibility and strengthened service networks.

Conclusions:

• There is a recognized need to reorganize mental health services to enhance local accessibility and strengthen networks for immediate crisis response.
• The study's findings align with international recommendations and have informed national mental health action plans.
• Some identified measures have already been implemented, demonstrating the practical impact of the research.