Problemática psicosocial y de salud mental reportada por consultantes del servicio de atención telefónica Línea de la Vida, derivados a Centros de Integración Juvenil durante la epidemia de COVID-19

Introduction: in the context of the health contingency by COVID-19 pandemic and by an agreement of the Mexican Ministry of Health, Centros de Integración Juvenil has collaborated in Línea de la Vida telephone service conducted by the National Comission on Addictions in the care of people with mental health dissorders. Objective: to describe some aspects of the psychological and social problems associated with the epidemic, identifying intervening variables. Method: cross-sectional, comparative study, with a sample of 2,403 consultants from Línea de la Vida service, referred to CIJ between May and August 2020. Data included symptoms and risk conditions of COVID-19, mental health problems and daily circumstances during the epidemic. Comparative analysis were carried out by sex, age and date of consultation. Results: a third of the consultants reported symptoms of COVID-19, belonging to a vulnerable group or having contact with someone with the disease. The main mental health problems identified were anxiety/stress (67.6%) and depression (15.2%); 31.5% reported facing financial problems; 15.5% the loss of close people and around 10% having problems in the care of children, adolescents or other relatives; 5.6% reported domestic violence. Conclusions: the health, social, interpersonal and mental health problems associated with the COVID-19 pandemic reflect differences attributable to the social construction of gender, the life cycle of people and the development of the epidemic itself.