However, despite the long-observed association between physical symptoms and mental health problems, such association has not been adequately examined in the context of COVID-19.

The gap

Consensus across the literature

Supporting evidence — 5 representative gaps

• Adolescent Anxiety, Depression and Flourishing before and During COVID-19 and the Predictive Role of Baseline Psychological Capital (PsyCap) on Student Mental Health and Subjective Wellbeing During the Pandemic (2023) · doi

  Studies indicate the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in rises in adolescent mental health symptoms globally, although the impact of the pandemic on subjective wellbeing is under-researched in this population.

  Keywords: pandemic indicate covid resulted rises adolescent mental health symptoms globally impact subjective wellbeing researched population
• Age Differences in Stress, Life Changes, and Social Ties During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Psychological Well-Being (2020) · doi

  BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Experiences of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its implications for psychological well-being may vary widely across the adult life span.

  Keywords: background objectives experiences coronavirus disease covid pandemic implications psychological well vary widely across adult life
• <scp>COVID</scp> ‐19 and mental health in the <scp>UK</scp> : Depression, anxiety and insomnia and their associations with persistent physical symptoms and risk and vulnerability factors (2023) · doi

  However, despite the long-observed association between physical symptoms and mental health problems, such association has not been adequately examined in the context of COVID-19.

  Keywords: association despite long observed physical symptoms mental health problems adequately examined context covid
• Acute COVID-19 severity and impaired cognitive function up to 32 months after diagnosis: an observational study (2026) · doi

  While more prospective data are needed, these findings moti- vate further research on the post-COVID-19 condition, with impaired cognitive function as a key feature, and highlight the need for monitoring of individuals experi- encing severe acute COVID-19 illness.

  Keywords: covid prospective needed moti vate further post condition impaired cognitive function feature highlight need monitoring
• Burden and trends of mental disorders in Vietnam, 1990–2023: insights from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023 (2026) · doi

  Our research did not incorporate a baseline assessment of participants’ physical and psychological health before COV- ID-19 infection. Thus, distinguishing the effects of COVID-19 from those of pre-existing conditions was challenging. The re- search also employed a cross-sectional design, limiting our ca- pacity to determine causality. However, this approach enabled us to generate hypotheses and provides a foundation for sub- sequent studies. NOTES Prevalence of Quality of Life Issues

  Keywords: incorporate baseline assessment participants physical psychological health infection thus distinguishing effects covid existing conditions challenging