Table 4.

Attributes of various mental health practices during the pandemic

Mental healthcare practice	Attributes
Mental health promotion	Improve KAP
	Fight misinformation
	Community awareness
Community participation	Integration of care: GPs, AYUSH, primary HCWs, etc.
	Tele-training and guidance
	Community screening for SMD and CMD
Mental health education and training	IEC activities
	Liaison with media/popular figures
	Anti-stigma interventions
	Prevention of domestic violence, child and elder abuse
Dealing with psychiatric disorders	Tele-medicine (online platforms, mobile apps, telephonic consultations)
	Medication availability
	District mental health teams
	Coordination of referrals
	Prompt management of psychiatric emergencies
	Decreased institutionalization
Tele-psychiatry	Standardization of guidelines/prescribing patterns
	Legislations
	Tele-psychotherapy
	Enabling access for the older adults/minorities
Suicide and trauma prevention	Gatekeeper training
	Suicide prevention community programs
	Target vulnerable groups
Post-pandemic aftermath	Digitalization of care and research
	Preparedness
	Resource allocation
	Cross-specialty coordination
	Epidemiological data to address policies
Research during pandemics	Ethics
	Validation of new tools specific to COVID-19
	Standardization of online surveys
	Focus on: Neurobiology, acute and long-term neuropsychiatric effects, lived experiences, vulnerable groups, population-based psychiatric risk estimates for various disorders
	Sharing research
	Socio-cultural sensitivity
Policy	Enabling the above practices
	Budget and resource allocation
	Including mental health in legislations (pandemic acts)
	National guidelines for safe practice

KAP – Knowledge attitude and practice; GP – General physicians; AYUSH – Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Sidda and Homeopathy; HCW – Health care workers; SMD – Severe mental disorders; CMD – Common mental disorders; IEC – Information Education and Communication; COVID-19 – Coronavirus disease 2019