A continuously updated meta-ecological study of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, alcohol/substance abuse and violence in the general population.

Deterioration of mental health (including alcohol and substance abuse and violence) are important adverse effects associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown and played a role in decisions about containment measures. Such important decisions need to be based on hard scientific evidence about the true prevalence of mental health problems and their association with the intensity and duration of lockdown. This information, however, cannot be provided by a single study. This is because the exposures of interest (characteristics of the pandemic and lockdown) apply to all participants enrolled in the same study. An international perspective is needed where studies from various places with different outbreak intensity, different response to the pandemic, and different population characteristics are compared with respect to their impact on mental health. The aim of this project is to explore an innovative way to provide reliable large-scale evidence about mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and its association with the containment measures put in place worldwide. The specific objectives are to answer:1.What is the prevalence of mental health problems in the general population and subpopulations worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic? 2.How are mental health problems associated with a) characteristics of the pandemic b) the extent and intensity of measures to contain the pandemic? And which population characteristics (e.g. sex, age, comorbidities, cultural characteristics) modify these prevalences?A third objective is, while answering questions 1-2 to3.Develop a generic evidence-synthesis framework to explore epidemiological associations that can be used to address current but also future crisis situations.We will create an interactive, online platform to present "living" summaries of evidence and associations that is continuously updated as soon as a new study becomes available.While answering an important question for the current pandemic, the project will create the methods, infrastructure and knowledge in place to answer any future emergency question that relates to public health.