Lieneck, Cristian H.Bosworth, MicheleWeaver, EricHeinemann, KatharinePatel, Janki2022-11-092022-11-0912/17/2021Lieneck, C., Bosworth, M., Weaver, E., Heinemann, K., & Patel, J. (2021). Protective and non-protective factors of mental health distress in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review. Medicina, 57(12), 1377.1648-9144https://hdl.handle.net/10877/16291Background and objectives: Health care organizations continue to respond to the COVID-19 global pandemic and an ongoing array of related mental health concerns. These pandemic-related challenges continue to be experienced by both the U.S. population and those abroad. Materials and methods: This systematic review queried three research databases to identify applicable studies related to protective and non-protective factors of mental health distress experienced during the pandemic within the United States. Results: Three primary factors were identified as protective factors, potentially helping to moderate the incidence of mental distress during the pandemic: demographics, personal support/self-care resources, and income/financial concerns. Researchers also identified these same three constructs of non-protective factors of mental health distress, as well as two additional variables: health/social status and general knowledge/government mistrust. Conclusions: This systematic review has identified protective and non-protective factors of mental health distress experienced in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic (to date) that can further assist medical providers in the U.S. and beyond as the pandemic and related mental health concerns continue at a global level.Text20 pages1 file (.pdf)enmental healthbehavioral healthassessmenttelehealthCOVID-19Health AdministrationArticlehttps://doi.org/10.3390/medicina57121377This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.