“איך שעולם מסתובב לו“: תגובות נפשיות למגפת הקורונה והשלכות לעבודה סוציאלית

Background: The COVID-19 outbreak brought severe health, economic and social consequences worldwide, and had a substantial impact on mental health. Aim of the article: To provide an updated description of the mental reactions to the COVID-19 epidemic among the most vulnerable populations, with an emphasis on what is known from Israel.Method: Summary of studies and systematic reviews on general psychological distress, depression and anxiety among the general population, the elderly, patients with chronic diseases, and among those in the frontline of the epidemic: healthcare workers, COVID-19 patients and recovering patients. We reviewed the prevalence of mental responses and risk and protective factors for these responses.Results: Consistent evidence among all the populations showed high rates of psychological distress. Depression and anxiety rates were highest among COVID-19 patients or patients with chronic diseases, followed by healthcare workers and were lowest among the general population, within which the rates were lower among older adults. PTSD rates were highest among COVID-19 patients followed by healthcare workers. Various psychosocial factors were found to be risk (e.g., loneliness, burnout among healthcare workers) or protective factors (resilience, social support).Conclusion and implications for practice: The high anxiety and depression rates in responses to COVID-19 call for adaptation of interventions to epidemic times, and to the changes that occur during those times, as well as to the characteristics of the population. Longitudinal studies are required to evaluate the continued mental impact on these populations and on other, emerging vulnerable populations. Social work has already played an important role in coping with COVID-19, but additional training and adaptation of intervention methods are required.