The impact of COVID19 on Mental Health in the Hispanic Caribbean Region 2020

Abstract

The recent global severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic will leave its shadow over mental health in our society, especially among the most vulnerable such as elderly populations and those living with mental health disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias. Cognitive impairment and/or Dementia itself does not increase the risk for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In early march 2020 Cuba, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico reported their first COVID-19 cases, and various strategies are underway to tackle with the raising number of cases. The double hit of COVID-19 in elderly populations and among those with comorbid conditions has raised significant concerns in the Caribbean region. In light of these concerns, health care providers and caregivers should pay extra attention to those in most vulnerable situations. In addition, due to the potential impact of COVID-19 on mental health in the elderly population living in the Caribbean area, immediate efforts focused on prevention and early detection of mental health disorders related with the outbreak are required. On this commentary we examined current situation and impact of COVID-19 on mental health in the Caribbean Hispanic region (Cuba, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico). Furthermore, we provide recommendations to health care providers and caregivers to better cope and manage the impact of COVID-19 in our region.