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Introducción: La pandemia por COVID 19 ha tensionado los sistemas de salud en todo el mundo, al mismo tiempo ha generado un impacto negativo en la salud mental de la población. Los servicios de salud mental tienen el desafío de responder a las necesidades de salud mental de la población en contextos de emergencia sanitaria. Objetivo: El objetivo del presente estudio, fue estimar y explicar el efecto que tuvo la pandemia COVID-19 en las atenciones de los servicios públicos ambulatorios de salud mental de la Región de Coquimbo, Chile, para lo cual se utilizó un método mixto secuencial (DEXPLIS). Material y métodos: En una primera etapa, se realizó un análisis de serie de tiempo ininterrumpidos en el periodo 2017-2021 de las atenciones de salud mental incluidas en el registro estadístico mensual (REM), con una disminución del 56% al año 2020 de las atenciones ambulatorias. Una segunda fase cualitativa, indagó y profundizó en los hallazgos a través de un análisis de contenido temático de las experiencias y percepciones recogidas a través de grupos focales de gestores, profesionales y representantes de la comunidad. Resultados y conclusiones: Se concluye que existió una disminución de las atenciones ambulatorias presenciales en la región de Coquimbo. Se sostiene que ante emergencias similares es fundamental la planificación con pertinencia territorial y enfoque comunitario. Palabras clave: Servicios de Salud Mental, Atención ambulatoria, COVID-19.

Objective. This study seeks to describe the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health services in Chile. Methods. This study is part of ongoing multicountry research known as the Mental Health Care – Adverse Sequelae of COVID-19 study (or the MASC study) that includes seven countries. Chile is the only one in Latin America. This study used a convergent mixed methods design. The quantitative component analyzed data about public mental health care collected between January 2019 and December 2021 from the open-access database at the Ministry of Health. The qualitative component analyzed data collected from focus groups of experts that included professionals in charge of mental health services, policy-makers, service users and caregivers. Finally, the data synthesis was performed by triangulation of both components. Results. By April 2020, mental health service provision had been reduced by 88% in primary care; moreover, secondary and tertiary levels had also reduced their mental health activities by, respectively, 66.3% and 71.3% of pre-COVID levels. Negative sequelae were described at the health systems level, and full recovery had not been achieved by the end of 2021. The pandemic affected the essential characteristics of community-based mental health services, with adverse impacts on the continuity and quality of care, reduced psychosocial and community support, and negative effects on health workers’ mental health. Digital solutions were widely implemented to enable remote care, but challenges included the availability of equipment, its quality and the digital divide. Conclusions. The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant and enduring adverse effects on mental health care. Lessons learned can inform recommendations for good practices for the ongoing and future pandemics and health crises, and highlight the importance of prioritizing the strengthening of mental health services in response to emergencies.

Objectives: This paper reviews the mental health policies that have been implemented in Chile in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the international context of countries' responses. Even before the start of the pandemic, there were significant barriers to access mental health services in Chile, coupled with a scenario of nationwide social unrest and protests that questioned the legitimacy of public institutions; now the rapidly worsening outbreaks of COVID-19 are exacerbating the pre-existing mental health crisis.Methods: We conducted a bibliometric and content analysis of the Chilean mental health public policies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic and then compared these policies with international experiences and emerging scientific evidence on the mental health impact of pandemics.Results: Our analysis of the policies identifies five crucial points of action developed in Chile: (i) an established framework to address mental health in emergency and disaster situations; (ii) a timely COVID-19 Mental Health Action Plan; (iii) inclusion of mental health in the public health agenda; (iv) development of a presidential strategy during the pandemic for comprehensive mental health and well-being; and (v) emerging research assessing the mental health implications of COVID-19.Conclusions: In Chile, the public policy responses to address the mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic has been characterized by the coordinated implementation of mental health plans, ranging from a health sectoral initiative to inter-agency and intersectoral efforts. However, it is imperative that increased funding is allocated to mental health, and efforts should be made to promote the participation of people with lived experiences and communities in the design and implementation of the proposed actions. This aspect could be of key importance to social peace and community recovery after the pandemic.