Psychiatry of Pandemics: A Mental Health Response to Infection Outbreak

by Damir Huremović (Editor)

This book focuses on how to formulate a mental health response with respect to the unique elements of pandemic outbreaks. Unlike other disaster psychiatry books that isolate aspects of an emergency, this book unifies the clinical aspects of disaster and psychosomatic psychiatry with infectious disease responses at the various levels, making it an excellent resource for tackling each stage of a crisis quickly and thoroughly. The book begins by contextualizing the issues with a historical and infectious disease overview of pandemics ranging from the Spanish flu of 1918, the HIV epidemic, Ebola, Zika, and many other outbreaks. The text acknowledges the new infectious disease challenges presented by climate changes and considers how to implement systems to prepare for these issues from an infection and social psyche perspective. The text then delves into the mental health aspects of these crises, including community and cultural responses, emotional epidemiology, and mental health concerns in the aftermath of a disaster. Finally, the text considers medical responses to situation-specific trauma, including quarantine and isolation-associated trauma, the mental health aspects of immunization and vaccination, survivor mental health, and support for healthcare personnel, thereby providing guidance for some of the most alarming trends facing the medical community.
Written by experts in the field, Psychiatry of Pandemics is an excellent resource for infectious disease specialists, psychiatrists, psychologists, immunologists, hospitalists, public health officials, nurses, and medical professionals who may work patients in an infectious disease outbreak.

Genres: Psychiatry

194 pages, Paperback

Published May 27, 2019

Reviews

[Nikoleta L. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m not a member of the target audience of this book, so it is maybe a bit forward of me to even rate it, but I am doing so primarily from a perspective of a person who wants to put some sense into the current situation with the coronavirus outbreak. This book offers some insights about the history of pandemics, their influence on mental health, and it cites some interesting studies.
However, now from a perspective of someone who has experience with crisis management (professional, not only personal - we all have that now), I think that this book could use a makeover even for its target audience. Not going into the merits of the content itself, I believe it lacks in structure. If it is to be used as a guideline, I believe it should be taken apart and put back together.
Multiple contributors aside, I believe some cohesion of style and approach should be present and maintained. There are semi-sociological chapters, semi-historical chapters, chapters with zombies and then there are chapters which focus on drug administration and dosage for patients during and in the aftermath of an outbreak. It’s a bit all over the place if you ask me.
All in all, it you’re not a medical professional, better seek another book to help you understand the current shitty situation we’re all in. Also, keep your distance and stay home. Don’t be an ass.

[H. Maher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good introduction in understanding the potential mental health implications of the current COVID-19 outbreak. I guess what was impressive was the language of inevitability addressing Pandemics, which in my impression caught many healthcare proffessionals by surprise, but certainly not the writers of this book. I guess it's greatest accomplishments remain in laying the footsteps in this area and establishing that much more extensive research is needed on the topic. It certainly puts some fundamental ideas on how to use the current global Pandemic for research purposes on the topic . Excellent effort.

[Antonio Chavira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely essential book for understanding what's happening now, and how things will unfold in the future. All psychotherapists should be required to read this in school going forward.

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty powerful reading this knowing now what disease X is.

[Nadine · Rating 2 out of 5]

really informative but does repeat itself a lot and idk some bits i feel like werent needed BUT the beginning is so well researched and towards the end i think it's really informative again. really good!