Anxiety, depression and alcohol dependence are the biggest problems of the pandemic

The health needs that suffer, or may suffer, the greatest aggravation by the covid-19 pandemic are those resulting from anxiety, depression and alcohol dependence, estimate the stakeholders of the National Health Plan Monitoring Commission 2021-2030.

In addition to these problems, the ‘stakeholders’ point to the health needs arising from public health emergencies.

Among the twelve health needs perceived as “greater vulnerability” to the negative effects of the pandemic, needs were also indicated, whose impact will be less direct, namely those arising from some malignant tumors, such as the colon, rectum and breast.

As for the needs for health determinants, the ‘stakeholders’ consider that “are, or will be, those arising from determinants related to the health system and the provision of health care, but also from demographic and social determinants, with emphasis on respectively, for universal health care coverage, access to and public spending on essential services, and unemployment, precarious employment and social isolation.

The group of behavioral determinants was also included in the twelve needs perceived as most vulnerable, with the excessive use of the internet being specifically pointed out, according to the document that was coordinated by the Director-General of Health, Graça Freitas, and which, for the first time, has time, a horizon of ten years.

“Crossing the results of both questions, in relation to health needs arising from health problems, it was possible to isolate needs simultaneously perceived as of high priority and highly aggravated by the covid-19 pandemic, especially those arising from depression, emergencies in public health, stroke, malignant tumor of colon and rectum, malignant tumor of female breast”.

Analyzing the health needs in general in Portugal, the ‘stakeholders’ assigned the “maximum degree of priority to the reduction of premature and avoidable death and/or the burden of disease and/or disability caused by diseases of the circulatory system and by malignant tumors “.

These are followed by needs arising from public health emergencies, mental and behavioral disorders, and neurological diseases.

“Specifically, and for each major group of pathologies, priority is given to the needs arising from acute myocardial infarction and stroke, malignant tumors of the colon and rectum, female breast and lung, depression and dementia “, says the National Health Plan.

With regard to health needs arising from health determinants, they emphasize the priority given to those arising from determinants related to the health system and the provision of health care.

“Accessibility issues were dominant, specifically access to health care (in general illness, mental health, palliative and continuing) and medicines, as well as those related to universal coverage and health financing”, they stress. .

Prioritized in the first twelve needs identified, are also those related to the quality of care provision and governance, says the PNS, which has been under public consultation since today.

Within other groups of determinants, the highest priorities were for demographic and social (child poverty) and behavioral (overweight and obesity).

Regarding health infrastructure, the document states that the services of the National Health Service should become a reference in terms, for example, of energy efficiency, use of renewable energy, collection, treatment and recycling of solid waste, and air quality. interior, among others.

As for human resources, he argues that “their adequate and timely planning should be guaranteed”, requiring “a continuous investment in the quality, training, qualification and working conditions of health professionals, in order to obtain high levels of professional satisfaction and the reduce or prevent ‘burnout’ and abandonment”.