Covid-19 and emotional impact in adults

a systematic review

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic unexpectedly changed people's lives. The interaction between people represented a risk of contracting the virus and information about infections and deaths became constant in the news. Thus, the objective of this review was to establish the factors that influenced the mental health of adult individuals during the months of March to August 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic. The methodology used was the search in three databases, using descriptors and inclusion and exclusion criteria. The publications were analyzed in three stages: first, the selection was made by reading the titles; second, by reading the abstracts; and third, by reading the entire text. A total of 88 publications were found, of which 35 were selected to integrate this review. The publications were quite heterogeneous, as in relation to the country where the research was conducted as in the choice of participants. Regardless of the population sample, different levels of mental health impairment were reported; of these, anxiety, depression, stress and fear were the most prevalent. This review brings, therefore, the discernment that mental health should be considered in health analyzes, and is a crucial element for the elaboration of more effective strategic plans aimed at the population's health.

Keywords: Pandemics; Coronavirus infections; Mental health.