Mental health disorders, malaria, and heart disease most affected by COVID pandemic

Disrupted care during the COVID-19 pandemic led to sharp increases in other non-covid causes of illness and death, particularly mental health disorders, malaria in young children, and stroke and heart disease in older adults, finds a study published byThe BMJ.

For example, new cases of depressive disorders rose by 23% in 5–14-year-olds and malaria deaths rose by 14% in children under five years old from 2020-2021.

The researchers say future responses to potential pandemics or other public health emergencies of international concern ‘must extend beyond infection control to address long term health impacts.’

Most healthcare services were severely affected during the pandemic, hindering efforts to prevent and control many conditions. Yet an in-depth analysis of the pandemic's impact on other causes of illness and death is still needed.

Depressive and anxiety disorders, along with malaria, were the most notably affected, with a significant rise in disease burden compared with other causes.

Prevalence rates for heart disease also saw notable increases, particularly among individuals aged 70 and above (169 per 100,000 for ischaemic heart disease and 27 per 100,000 for stroke).

The findings provide a roadmap to help strengthen health systems for future crises: concrete steps to improve resilience include allocating budgets for essential services in emergencies, reinforcing primary health care, expanding disease surveillance networks, and prioritising universal health coverage with a focus on disadvantaged or marginalised communities.

Chen C, et al. BMJ 2025;390:e083868. https://www.bmj.com/content/390/bmj.r1268