The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of workers and the associated social-economic aspects: A narrative review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has struck nations worldwide, pushing worldwide health and socio-economic systems to extreme limits. Upon exposure to an exceeding number of patients and supply shortages, the resilience of healthcare resources has been broadly challenged. OBJECTIVE: We will firstly discuss the mental health turmoil during the COVID-19 pandemic as the primary focus of this study and delve into the mental health repercussions among the workforce. Also, we debate the risk factors, particularly highlighting the impact of social behaviors and media exposure. We examine the pandemic’s impact on occupational health services. Secondly, we thoroughly discuss the effect of socio-economic and race disparities in the COVID-19 contraction and the related psychologic sequelae. Economic outcomes are also highlighted, particularly alterations in poverty rates and occupational sectors. METHODS: Peer-reviewed reports were extracted through Embase, PubMed, and Google Scholar until June 2022. RESULTS: A constellation of untoward spillover effects of the pandemic, including dramatic changes in public and workplace environments, enduring curfew, and low wages, have put socio-economic aspects of daily life under exuberant strain. Indeed, occupational and public health stakeholders presume a coinciding social crisis to occur, provided the pandemic’s implications on socioeconomics and psychological wellbeing are not addressed well with evidence-based approaches and peer services. CONCLUSION: Evaluating the socio-economic and mental health impact is imperative to cope with the pandemic. Also, we should assess the predisposing and protecting factors in a broad array of life aspects associated with COVID-19.