Long COVID, mental disorders among diseases to watch in 2023: IHME

Context:

The coronavirus infection has also given birth to sequelae conditions (Long COVID) and aggravated some existing ailments (mental health disorders). They are widespread and not understood very well.

Long Covid:

While SARS-CoV-2 is typically an acute illness lasting about three weeks, some people with COVID have symptoms that last months or longer.
The World Health Organization defines long COVID as symptoms that last 12 weeks or longer.
Some patients have felt the impact of coronavirus infection till weeks after they tested negative. COVID-19 impacted the various organs of the human body in different ways and these sequelae conditions are so widespread that they were referred to as the ‘silent pandemic’.
Symptoms: Headache, memory loss, confusion, chest ailment and lingering cough.
Impact: often disrupts a person’s ability to engage with school, work or relationships for months at a time.
People with long COVID need diagnostic and proper rehabilitation support from primary care physicians.

Mental health disorder:

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health is a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.’
Like Physical health, Mental health is also important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
An estimated 150 million people across India are in need of mental health care interventions, according to India’s latest National Mental Health Survey 2015-16.
The southern part of India including Tamilnadu has the highest burden of mental stress cases in India.

Climate change impact:

The worsening climate has had a cascading effect on the health and well-being of the global population; heat and floods have increased disease prevalence and mental stress, among other impacts.
Minimising the impact via adaptation and enhanced resilience, technological solutions like using drought-resistant crops etc.

Cardiovascular disease:

Highest burden among non-communicable diseases.
Proper monitoring is needed.
Disease burden can be reduced by controlling lifestyle factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, dietary risks, smoking and air pollution.

Lower respiratory infection:

Lower respiratory infections (LRI), especially respiratory syncytial virus and influenza, are rising health issues.