Impact of COVID-19 on mental health of population (as an indicator of human potential): experience of foreign studies

The spread of a new coronavirus infection impacted the whole world. Government measures of imposing forced isolation to prevent the spread of the virus has caused numerous long-term consequences for the population’s physical and mental health, living standards, human potential, and, therefore, for the economy itself. Foreign countries had encountered the pandemicbefore Russia, so they managed to conduct studies on various aspects of the COVID-19 impact on people’s mental health and to publish the results (mostly online). In this article, on the basis of a deep analysis and foreign experience generalization, the author identified primary negative manifestations of the pandemic in an area of mental health (mood deterioration, sleeping disorders, anxiety growth, depressive disorders, alcoholism, interpersonal violence, suicidal and avoidant behavior). Major risk factors of adverse psychological outcomes were studied and structured. On this basis, the most vulnerable groups were identified (COVID-positive people and their family members, mentally ill people, doctors, financially disadvantaged and unemployed people, victims of domestic violence, single and older people). According to the results obtained, main ways of minimizing the negative impact of the pandemic were formulated: organization of a unified, integrated platform for psychological counseling; responsible usage of media while discussing issues related to the pandemic; organization of assistance to risk groups (including remote help); provision of financial support for the population during a crisis period; promotion of a healthy lifestyle; mitigation of a quarantine’s negative impact. Research is an important area for reducing a psychological burden of COVID-19. Monitoring of indicators of anxiety and depression, suicidal behavior, factors and mechanisms of the pandemic impact on risk groups, longitudinal studies, including risk groups, become particularly relevant.