Article summary
Abstract
Covid-19 has caused immense psychological suffering globally, including in India. The unprecedented spread of the virus and resulting lockdowns had immediate and widespread consequences such as fear, anxiety, violence, loss of livelihood, travel restrictions, and stigma. Though economic, social, and physical hardships are widely discussed, the pandemic also severely affected mental health. This study investigates the impact of Covid-19 on mental health and the role of the Health Belief Model (HBM) in reducing stigma and improving awareness. Data sourced from research articles and government reports indicates that HBM is crucial in promoting awareness of mental health issues during lockdown, thus facilitating informed prevention and control behaviour. Theoretical insights from the study may also assist in preparation for future pandemics. The Covid-19 virus has quickly spread worldwide since it emerged, causing fear as people struggle to control its impact. India is seriously affected and locked down. Levels of loneliness, hopelessness, sadness, and anxiety rose. Limited research exists on the burden of mental problems. It is important to understand the psychological impact of Covid-19 and identify factors causing psychological distress. Coping with this crisis is extremely challenging because of a lack of knowledge about the disease, the failure of governments to deliver adequate care, and the absence of social interaction, all of which add to distress. Previous studies indicate that psychological problems such as panic disorder, depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia increase during large-scale epidemics and pandemics. Factors contributing to these problems include unpredictability, uncertainty, seriousness of risk, misinformation on social media, social isolation, and financial losses. Epidemics in India, including the plague in 1994, swine flu in 2009, bird flu in 2012, zika in 2016, and dengue for several years, have also caused widespread fear, anxiety, panic, misconceptions, and stigma, without adequately managing the mental health crisis. The Health Belief Model (HBM) provides a conceptual framework to understand and predict how individuals react to a variety of health promotion strategies and the factors motivating people to adopt protective behavioural changes.