The COVID-19 outbreak and psychiatric hospitals in China: managing challenges through mental health service reform

Yu-Tao Xiang^1,2#✉, Yan-Jie Zhao^1,2#, Zi-Han Liu^1,2#, Xiao-Hong Li^4#, Na Zhao^1,2#, Teris Cheung⁶, Chee H. Ng⁷

1. Unit of Psychiatry, Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China.
2. Center for Cognition and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China.
3. Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders, the Affiliated Hospital, Institutes of Psychological Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.
4. The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital & the Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
5. Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University; Neurosurgery Clinical Medical Research Center of Sichuan Province, Academician (Expert) Workstation of Sichuan Province; Sichuan, China.
6. School of Nursing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China.
7. Department of Psychiatry, The Melbourne Clinic and St Vincent's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Richmond, Victoria, Australia.
#These authors contributed equally to this work

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Citation:
Xiang YT, Zhao YJ, Liu ZH, Li XH, Zhao N, Cheung T, Ng CH. The COVID-19 outbreak and psychiatric hospitals in China: managing challenges through mental health service reform. Int J Biol Sci 2020; 16(10):1741-1744. doi:10.7150/ijbs.45072. Available from http://www.ijbs.com/v16p1741.htm

Abstract

Recently, more than 300 Chinese patients with psychiatric disorders were diagnosed with the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Possible reasons quoted in the report were the lack of caution regarding the COVID-19 outbreak in January and insufficient supplies of protective gear. We outlined major challenges for patients with psychiatric disorders and mental health professionals during the COVID-19 outbreak, and also discussed how to manage these challenges through further mental health service reform in China.

Keywords: COVID-19, psychiatric disorders