J Korean Med Sci.  2020 Jun;35(22):e211. 10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e211.

Psychosocial Support during the COVID-19 Outbreak in Korea: Activities of Multidisciplinary Mental Health Professionals

• Hyun J
• You S
• Sohn S
• Kim SJ
• Bae J
• Baik M
• Cho IH
• Choi H
• Choi KS
• Chung CS
• Jeong C
• Joo H
• Kim E
• Kim H
• Kim HS
• Ko J
• Lee JH
• Lee SM
• Lee SH
• Chung US

• KMID: 2502612
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e211

Abstract

As of April 18, 2020, there have been a total of 10,653 confirmed cases and 232 deaths due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Korea. The pathogen spread quickly, and the outbreak caused nationwide anxiety and shock. This study presented the anecdotal records that provided a detailed process of the multidisciplinary teamwork in mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak in the country. Psychosocial support is no less important than infection control during an epidemic, and collaboration and networking are at the core of disaster management. Thus, a multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals was immediately established and has collaborated effectively with its internal and external stakeholders for psychosocial support during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Keyword

COVID-19; Psychosocial Support; Multidisciplinary; Mental Health; Disaster

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Timeline of psychosocial support in the social context during the COVID-19 outbreak in Korea.COVID-19 = coronavirus disease 2019.

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