77-702040: Infectious Disease And Long Term Conditions Assessment Answer

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic along with the onset of schizophrenia has affected mental health patients in the UK significantly. A large proportion of people were found to report psychological distress coupled with symptoms of depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress. Schizophrenia can be defined as a long-term condition associated with the mental health of an individual. It is characterised by a variety of symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, abnormal motor behaviour and disorganised thinking. (McCutcheon et al., 2020). Around 24 million people or 1 in 300 people all around the world have a current diagnosis of schizophrenia (World Health Organisation, 2022). On the other hand, COVID-19 is a type of disease that is infectious in nature with the SARS-Cov-2 virus being the causative agent. The primary target of the virus is the respiratory system; however other organs like the kidney, heart and brain can also get affected by the virus. The respiratory tract acts as the mode of entry for the virus which is followed by its attachment with the ACE2 receptor (Hany et al., 2023).

This leads to the occurrence of inflammation resulting in symptoms like fever, shortness of breath and cough. In some cases, the immune response can be ineffective while in others, it can be overly aggressive. According to the current situation, the WHO reports the week of December 26 to January 1, 2023, saw the reporting of more than 3 million new cases around the world and 10,000 fatalities. A total of 6.6 million fatalities and over 656 million confirmed cases has been documented (World Health Organisation, 2023). The following report aims to discuss the impact of COVID-19 and schizophrenia on patients suffering from mental health in the UK and will take into account the factors like physical, psychological and sociological and economic impacts. In addition, it aims to shed light on policies that have been introduced in the UK addressing the issue; with the final segment discussing challenges that still demand attention.

Schizophrenia as a Long-term Condition

Schizophrenia is a very common mental health condition in the UK with about 220,000 people being treated for schizophrenia at any single time in the UK (Optima Health, 2023). It usually develops in the phases of late teenage or early adulthood and continues to remain throughout the lifetime of an individual. According to research, it was found that rates of mental health disorders like schizophrenia in some ethnic minority groups, such as persons of Black Caribbean or African descent in the UK, might be up to five times greater. In contrast, the Caribbean region has no such trend, indicating that the elevated risk depends on the context (UCL, 2020). For instance, as per a report by the House of Commons Library, 1.4% of those who identified as Black had a positive screening result, as opposed to 0.9% of Asian and 0.5% of White people when it came to the diagnosis of psychotic disorders (House of Commons Library, 2023).

COVID-19 as an Infectious Disease

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant influence on the mental health of individuals globally worsening the condition of people suffering from mental health disorders in the UK (Monseno, 2023). The primary mode of transmission for this disease involves respiratory droplets which occur when a person who is infected coughs, sneezes or talks (Chikkara et al., 2020). In some cases related to the transmission of the virus, airborne transmission is also a possibility in scenarios that involve the generation of aerosols. There is additional evidence that indicates that the disease may even lead to infection associated with the intestine and be present in faeces (World Health Organisation, 2020). Currently, there have been 24.5 million cases confirmed in the UK and 224,106 deaths as reported by the World Health Organisation (World Health Organisation, 2023). There has been a range of effects on patients suffering from mental health which include anxiety and stress, increased isolation, disrupted access to care and disrupted routine.

Physical, Psychosocial, Sociological and Economic Impact

Variable factors that are contributing to COVID-19 and schizophrenia impacted patients with mental health disorders due to COVID-19 Firstly, due to the highly infectious nature of the disease, COVID-19 was the reason behind a high number of hospitalisations and death along with severely deteriorated health conditions due to adverse respiratory symptoms. People suffering from mental health disorders are at increased risk of getting affected by the infection due to other existing conditions like cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes. In addition to this, schizophrenia is a chronic condition that puts such individuals at greater risk due to a reduction in life expectancy and poor health outcomes (De Hert et al., 2022). A study by the University of Manchester revealed that people with psychotic disorders were five times more vulnerable to dying from COVID-19. Moreover, among the people who were hospitalised due to COVID-19, the ones with mental disorders had a much lower survivability rate in comparison to the ones who did not (The University of Manchester, 2021).

Secondly, with respect to the sociological aspect, the COVID-19 has led to increased instances of social isolation and decreased social interaction among individuals which led to a sharp rise in levels of emotions like depression, anxiety and stress. In addition to this, the COVID-19 also worsened the already existing symptoms among mental health disorders patients which led to an increase in distress and reduced functioning and also led to a feeling of loneliness (Hwang et al., 2020). For instance, a study by Heron et al. (2022) found that during the COVID-19 as opposed to the pre-COVID-19 period, the percentage of lonely people was significantly greater among those using SMI (self-isolation to limit transmission risk). Before the epidemic, there were 27.6% more lonely people than there were during it, 48.2% more. Those with SMI who were younger, single, and had lower incomes were also shown to be more likely to feel lonely during the COVID-19.

 The impact of psychological feeling is seen in terms of experiencing feelings of guilt, shame and low self-esteem gives rise to suicidal thoughts in a psychological aspect. People diagnosed with schizophrenia can form negative opinions about themselves due to the stigma and discrimination faced, which can lead to hesitation and shame when seeking medical help, which can result in delayed or inadequate treatment (Degnan et al., 2021). According to an article by Byrne et al. (2021), the health research records of more than 62,000 patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 between 20 January and 1 August 2020 were analysed by researchers from the University of Oxford in the UK and the health research network TriNetX.12 18.1% of individuals in the study, had a psychiatric diagnosis within the first 14 to 90 days following receiving a COVID-19 disease diagnosis.

 Lastly, economic impact involved financial insecurity and poverty which led to difficulty in accessing quality healthcare. Patients suffering from schizophrenia and other mental health disorders need regular check-ups and medications which might not be affordable for everyone and the lack of which can result in deterioration of symptoms and accelerated decline in the condition (Van Pinxteren et al., 2023). Moreover, it can also have an influence on the stability associated with housing. People living in poverty can struggle when it comes to affording stable and safe housing. Lastly, financial insecurity led to decreased access to quality and healthy food and a lack of adequate nutrition. This resulted in the development of other health problems like diabetes and obesity which can have a negative impact on their mental and physical health (Alonzo et al., 2022). There has been supporting evidence that backs the association between mental health disorders and poverty.

 For instance, a report on mental health statistics by the UK parliament highlighted that individuals who were unemployed or living in regions that were socio-economically deprived had a higher number of cases related to psychotic disorders, which include schizophrenia in comparison to those who resided in less deprived areas. In addition to this, the report also showed that individuals suffering from mental health disorders who were financially unstable and experienced poverty were more vulnerable to worsened clinical outcomes and increased rates of hospitalisation (House of Commons Library, 2023). In addition to this, a study by Grigoroglou et al. (2019) also found that the prevalence of mental health disorders in individuals was much higher in rural areas of the UK and poverty and financial insecurity were among the major determinants of health when it came to vulnerability to schizophrenia.

Role of Health Institutions and Public Policy

The existing policy which is used to address the mental health issue of schizophrenia in England is the "Mental Health Policy in England ''. This policy will also help to cover all the concerns which are present after COVID-19. After the introduction of this report, there is a rise in the demand for mental health services due to COVID-19. Several aspects need to be taken care of. It has been observed that about 12,000 adults and young people have been diagnosed with mental health problems. Almost one-third of the adults and about one-third of the young people have reported that their mental health has been impacted in the previous years (UK Parliament, 2023). There are some extremely vulnerable people and it is necessary that effective steps need to be adopted to manage the mental health of the people. There are several inequalities present and these inequalities need to be addressed so effective care can be provided.

Racial inequality is high, there are several ethnic groups where the prevalence of getting affected from mental health are high. Some effective strategies need to be adopted to reduce these inequalities and promote health and well-being. The first problem is that social stigma is attached to mental health. This can only be mitigated if people are aware of their mental condition (Bhugra et al., 2021). Another social determinant that is addressed is financial issues. If an adequate amount of money is present, then proper treatment can be provided, otherwise, proper treatment cannot be provided and health is impacted. The next social determinant which needs to be addressed is social isolation. It has been often observed that people with mental health problems are often isolated and this future severely impacts mental health. Hence, this should be aimed at ensuring that people should not be isolated, on the other hand, they should be included in social events and other activities (Griffin et al., 2022).

The recovery plan of this policy majorly consists of three objectives and these are: it will help to provide support to the general population and actions are taken to maintain well-being and health. Another component is to prevent the onset of mental health difficulties and actions need to be taken to address these factors. This would involve the integration of mental health care such that it forms a closer interconnection with physical health. This encompasses improved coordination between mental health services and healthcare providers, increased access to support related to mental health in primary care settings and making sure that people suffering from issues related to mental health receive similar support and care in comparison to individuals suffering from physical health problems (Duncan et al., 2021).

 The last objective is to support the services as this will continue to expand and transform the needs of the people. There are several standards that are taken and which need to be addressed to maintain mental health. It has been observed that several sectors are being targeted here and this policy has helped to achieve success in all those sectors. Funds by the government have increased towards mental health and many more future commitments have been made in this sector. This has involved an increase in funding related to services associated with mental health in England by an additional 1 billion pounds in 2021 to enable access to mental health services and result in expansion in the range of available therapies and treatments. There are several priority action plans which are taken and all of these are aimed towards improving health (Duncan et al., 2021).

Significance of Health Policy

The "Mental Health Policy in England" is being used to deal with the COVID-19-related mental health problems that have become more severe in England. The goal of the policy is to offer broad population assistance and delay the beginning of mental health issues. Numerous social variables, including stigma, poverty, and social isolation, need to be addressed. Three goals make up the policy's recovery plan, two of which are to increase access to mental health care and support mental health services. The government has pledged to significantly enhance mental health treatment and has boosted financing for mental health services in England. To enhance mental health and well-being, a number of priority action plans are now being carried out. Therefore, addressing the underlying causes of social and economic inequality demands more extensive cultural and structural reforms in order to eliminate social isolation and promote social inclusion. The promotion of social equity, the reduction of poverty and prejudice, and the enhancement of access to opportunities and resources are all included in this (Brandt et al., 2022).

At the individual level, the interventions can involve providing more education and awareness regarding the mental health condition and associated stereotypes which result in social isolation. This can also involve the promotion of interaction between people suffering from the condition and the ones who are not. This can improve the situation of social isolation experienced by individuals with schizophrenia on a personal level (Dabit et al., 2021). In addition to this, social inclusion can also be promoted at the community level which can aim towards the reduction of social isolation among schizophrenia patients. This can be done with the help of community events, peer support groups along with other programs which encourage support and interaction associated with schizophrenia patients and the community at large (Pardede & Ramadia, 2021). Lastly, at the societal level, this might include changes in policies or regulations and laws which can lead to the inclusion of individuals suffering from schizophrenia in various spheres such as housing, employment, healthcare and education (Shahwan et al., 2022).

Challenges that Need to be Addressed

The first challenge which is faced by mental health patients due to the COVID-19 is access to healthcare. There has been a decrease in face-to-face services related to mental health, which makes it challenging for mental health patients suffering from COVID-19 to receive appropriate treatment and care. This has led to a lack of management of symptoms related to the condition due to a disruption in regular appointments (Bornheimer et al., 2022). The second major challenge is the development of additional health issues such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases which can increase the vulnerability towards COVID-19. It is important for healthcare personnel to be involved in the monitoring and management of the condition for the reduction of the risk associated with severe illness. The third challenge is educating patients with mental health disorders about the COVID-19 disease which involves informing them about its signs and symptoms along with its mode of transmission and preventive measures (Fonseca et al., 2020).

It is also important to educate them about the vaccines available against the virus and to deal with any kind of stigma or prejudice associated with the administration of vaccines. Moreover, individuals suffering from schizophrenia and other mental health diseases should be encouraged to seek help when needed and report any such instance when they themselves or any other individual gets diagnosed with the infection (Fonseca et al., 2020). The fourth challenge is to reduce the feelings of social isolation or loneliness among schizophrenia patients and encourage them to participate in social activities and ensure they are part of an environment that promotes inclusion. this will make them feel included and wanted leading to decreased hesitation and increased communication and participation (Pedrosa et al., 2020). Lastly, another challenge is establishing a feeling of financial stability and sustainability among individuals with schizophrenia due to the increased rate of unemployment, job losses and reduced income as a result of COVID-19 (Brenner & Bhugra, 2020).

Conclusion

In conclusion, COVID-19 has impacted patients suffering from schizophrenia in the UK worsening the difficulties already faced by them due to poverty, stigma and social isolation. Financial insecurity and poverty have posed challenges related to accessing stable housing, quality healthcare and adequate nutrition which has had a detrimental impact on clinical outcomes and higher instances of hospitalisation. Social isolation also impacted people with schizophrenia to a considerable extent, deteriorating their symptoms and making it more difficult for them to interact with people or be part of any social circle. Addressing this using societal programs and community initiatives which involve telemedicine services is recommended. Stigma and discrimination also affected individuals emotionally and psychologically and led to the development of internal stigma leading to negative thoughts and opinions leading to emotions of shame, isolation along with hesitation in seeking help. Approaches like creating a positive environment and reducing the stigma associated with mental illness for the promotion of a more inclusive community were recommended.

The "Mental Health Policy in England" is being used to deal with the COVID-19-related mental health problems that have become more severe in England. The goal of the policy is to offer broad population assistance and delay the beginning of mental health issues. Numerous social variables, including stigma, poverty, and social isolation, need to be addressed. Three goals make up the policy's recovery plan, two of which are to increase access to mental health care and support mental health services. The government has pledged to significantly enhance mental health treatment and has boosted financing for mental health services in England. To enhance mental health and well-being, a number of priority action plans are now being carried out. However, still challenges such as limited access to healthcare, disparities in opportunities, the stigma associated with vaccines and the lack of education regarding COVID-19 need to be dealt with to ensure positive outcomes of health among schizophrenic patients.

References

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