Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

February 19, 2021

Indirect Acute Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical and Mental Health in the UK: A Population-Based Study

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A review of electronic health records from a database that includes health information for >10 million individuals in the UK found a substantial reduction in primary care contacts for both acute physical and mental conditions in the four months following the introduction of movement restrictions to prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2. The largest relative reductions when compared to previous years’ records were observed for diabetic emergencies (OR 0.35), depression (0.53), and self-harm (0.56). With the exception of acute alcohol-related events, there was evidence of a reduction in care-seeking behavior for all conditions studied.

Mansfield et al. (Feb 19, 2021). Indirect Acute Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical and Mental Health in the UK: A Population-Based Study. The Lancet Digital Health. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landig/article/PIIS2589-7500(21)00017-0/fulltext