User:KatieFinch/Infectious Disease

Infectious Disease and Mental Health
Mental health is an important component of public health. Given the sudden and large-scale changes infectious disease can bring about, it is important to understand the effects of disease on mental health. Some research has suggested that epidemic disease can have a negative impact on mental health. One study found that during the Ebola epidemic, there was significant correlation between Ebola-related worry, psychological distress, and impairment of participants' day-to-day lives. This suggests that awareness of infectious disease can cause an increase in depression and anxiety in the general public. Another study found that health care workers may also experience excess negative emotions during an outbreak of disease. For example, fatigue and helplessness can be caused by fear, anxiety, and concern for loved ones, especially during the early stages of a crisis. Finally, an outbreak of infectious disease can also increase the incidence of conspiracy beliefs, especially in those already prone to interpret global events as a result of a large-scale conspiracy.

However, some research has also shown that incidences of infectious disease can have positive effects on mental health. For example, although healthcare workers may have experienced a slight increase in negative emotion, the same study found that they often found new ways of self-coping, experienced growth, and had positive emotions that accompanied the negative ones. Many health care workers reported feeling encouraged, calm, and even heroic, especially as they adapted to the situation. Another study found that among participants who were in lockdown due to an outbreak of disease, there was no significant change in psychological distress or perceived social support. In fact, many reported an increased sense of community, which suggests the collective trauma infectious disease can create may actually increase trust and connectedness.