Mental Health and COVID-19: Early evidence of the pandemic’s impact

This scientific brief is based on evidence from research commissioned by WHO, including an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses and an update to a living systematic review. Informed by these reviews, the scientific brief provides a comprehensive overview of current evidence about:

1. the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the prevalence of mental health symptoms and mental disorders
2. the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on prevalence of suicidal thoughts and behaviours
3. the risk of infection, severe illness and death from COVID-19 for people living with mental disorders
4. the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health services
5. the effectiveness of psychological interventions adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent or reduce mental health problems and/or maintain access to mental health services