Monitoring socioeconomic and mental health trajectories through the COVID-19 pandemic
Lead Research Organisation:
NatCen Social Research
Department Name: Research Department
Abstract
This study will use nationally representative data collected monthly by the UK Household Longitudinal Study's (UKHLS) questionnaire which gathers information on people's experiences during the period of the Covid-19 pandemic. This information will be used to assess the pandemic's ongoing impact on individuals' mental health and financial situation, and how this differs among subgroups of the UK population.
By combining information within the Covid-19 questionnaire with baseline data collected in previous years as part of the UKHLS, we will be able to identify who has felt the deepest and the longest-lasting impact on their financial situation and their mental health, and how these two impacts are related. Data collected in April 2020 - when the pandemic was at its initial height in the UK - will allow us to identify the groups that were immediately hit by the initial shock to the UK economy and social distancing measures introduced. The research will use statistical modelling to identify the significant factors in explaining poor mental health and poor economic circumstances at the height of the pandemic in the UK as well as to identify groups at particular high risk.
Subsequent monthly data will allow us to identify the rate and extent of the recovery of high risk groups. By examining individuals' personal characteristics and socioeconomic situation (including their exposure to schemes aimed at mitigating economic shocks) as well as their mental health and economic situation at each time point, we will be able to identify what personal factors and external interventions are associated with a fuller or quicker recovery, and which individuals remain vulnerable and require additional help and possibly policy interventions to recover.
By combining information within the Covid-19 questionnaire with baseline data collected in previous years as part of the UKHLS, we will be able to identify who has felt the deepest and the longest-lasting impact on their financial situation and their mental health, and how these two impacts are related. Data collected in April 2020 - when the pandemic was at its initial height in the UK - will allow us to identify the groups that were immediately hit by the initial shock to the UK economy and social distancing measures introduced. The research will use statistical modelling to identify the significant factors in explaining poor mental health and poor economic circumstances at the height of the pandemic in the UK as well as to identify groups at particular high risk.
Subsequent monthly data will allow us to identify the rate and extent of the recovery of high risk groups. By examining individuals' personal characteristics and socioeconomic situation (including their exposure to schemes aimed at mitigating economic shocks) as well as their mental health and economic situation at each time point, we will be able to identify what personal factors and external interventions are associated with a fuller or quicker recovery, and which individuals remain vulnerable and require additional help and possibly policy interventions to recover.
Publications
Kolbas, V.
(2021)
Stay home: affecting lives
Smith, NR
(2022)
Insights 2021-22: Findings from the UK Household Longitudinal Study
Smith, NR.
(2021)
Finances and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic
| Description | 1. This research demonstrated that people experiencing long-term financial insecurity were more likely to experience mental distress. In the context of the pandemic, the introduction of the furlough scheme provided short term financial security leading to a respite from the stressors associated with insecurity which in turn improved mental health. 2. The mental health of health and social care workers key workers increased to a greater extent than any other group of workers during the pandemic. Health and social care workers experienced a peak in poor mental in April 2020 with levels of distress returning to normal by September 2020. For all other workers, mental distress peaked later on and at a lower level in May 2020 and returned to pre-pandemic levels by September 2020. 3. This project also demonstrated that people who were working from home during the pandemic were more likely to be experiencing loneliness and mental distress, particularly if they were living alone. While this group of workers were at particular risk of isolation, people who continued to work outside the home were more likely to be experiencing financial difficulties in the pandemic than those who could work from home. 4. The financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across the UK was felt differently across different groups of people. While large numbers of people across the UK did not report negative financial experiences during the pandemic, two groups of people were particularly badly hit by the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first of these groups was largely made up of people who sought help from pandemic-related self-employment support schemes and Universal Credit to cover losses in income (classified as "Helpseekers"); and the second group was dominated by people who faced multiple financial struggles even before the pandemic and who took advantage of many different types of non-work-based financial support during the pandemic ("Multi-strugglers"). As well as reporting the worst financial situation during the pandemic, these groups also reported the worst mental health outcomes throughout the pandemic. |
| Exploitation Route | It provides strong evidence of a link between financial well-being and mental well-being that can be exploited by agencies such as the Money and Pensions Advice Service which is currently running a programme aimed at improving household financial resilience. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Financial Services, and Management Consultancy,Healthcare |
| Description | Findings have informed the general public of the impact of Government interventions to protect the economy on population health, by highlighting the inadvertent positive impact of the furlough scheme on mental health by reducing financial insecurity and by highlighting the additional risk of isolation and mental distress amongst people working from home, and particularly those working from home and living alone. It has also informed the general public of the the disproportionate financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on already vulnerable people, by highlighting that while the majority of people did not experience financial difficulties during the first year of the pandemic, people who were already financially struggling and people who needed to rely on new pandemic-related support schemes (such as the self-employed) experienced the worst financial and mental health outcomes. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
| Sector | Healthcare,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Impact Types | Societal,Policy & public services |
| Description | Money and Mental Health Policy Institute |
| Organisation | Money and Mental Health Policy Institute |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We have provided the collaborator with quantitative research findings on a nationally representative population which outlines the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the financial and mental health of the UK population. These findings will inform their advocacy and policy programmes. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The collaborator has carried out focus group research on our behalf to publicise our findings to sections of the population to which our research applies to. THe Collaborator has also validated our findings in our focus groups by qualitatively exploring our quantitative findings so that particpants could add context to our findings and could also suggest other avenues of research for us to follow. |
| Impact | "Report into Government and employer-led financial support for people with mental health issues throughout teh Covid-19 pandemic." |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Data Science Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | We presented findings showing the disproportionate impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the mental health of health and social care workers. The presentation was followed up by a request to use the evidence in a Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) briefing paper on the experiences of keyworkers in the pandemic. These briefing papers are used to inform Parliamentarians of the most up-to-date evidence to inform policy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Focus group and validation workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Patients, carers and/or patient groups |
| Results and Impact | Two focus groups were convened to present findings of the research to individuals who were currently experiencing mental health difficulties. The research outlined the impact of interventions to protect the financial well-being the population and what effect these interventions had on people's mental health, and whether these interventions were inclusive of people with existing mental health difficulties. A research report has been produced based on feedback from this patient group and will be submitted at the next ResearchFish reporting period. The focus groups made several recommendations to guide future policies which may disproportionately affect people with mental health challenges and these will be carried forward by the project partner who is an advocate for people with financial and mental health difficulties. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | MMHPI blog post - "Help-seekers and multi-strugglers": Who felt the worst mental health and financial effects of the pandemic? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This blog piece highlighting the main findings from the first three pieces of analysis from this work was produced for the website of the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI), and reproduced on the NatCen website. It was promoted on both MMHPI's and NatCen's social media channels. It highlighted findings from analysis of data collected in Understanding Society's COVID-19 study along with supporting evidence gathered from focus groups with MMHPI's research community to be relevant to policy makers, campaigners and MMHPI's experts by experience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.moneyandmentalhealth.org/mental-health-financial-effects-pandemic/ |
| Description | Society Watch 2021 Report Launch |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | On 29th April, NatCen published a research paper to sit alongside Society Watch, and annual event providing a snapshot of what life is like for people in Britain today, a picture of people's lives and life opportunities presented from the cradle to the grave. This new research explored trajectories in mental and financial health during the pandemic. This new research was covered widely by the traditional media, with a feature and interview on BBC Newsnight on 28th April and a headline news story at 6pm on 29th April on the television news channel RT UK. There were stories in The Guardian, Daily Mail, This is Money, and the research appeared in The Week's daily digest of the news agenda, "Ten Things You Need to Know Today". Coverage from the Press Association led to stories in over 150 regional outlets including the Birmingham Mail, Daily Echo, Brighton & Hove Argus, Glasgow Evening Times, Press & Journal Aberdeen and The Courier. This coverage in broadcast, print and online media reached an estimated total of 7,433,800 people. Findings from the study were included as a case study in NatCen's second annual Society Watch report, Society Watch 21 "Mental Health - Should we be worried?", and presented at the launch webinar for the report, presenting a picture of mental health in Britain before and since the pandemic. This launch webinar, funded by UKRI/ESRC, was attended by an invited audience of over 200 stakeholders. Attendees included parliamentarians from the House of Commons and Lords and officials from several government departments including the Cabinet Office, Department of Health and Social Care, NHS Digital, Public Health England, Health & Safety Executive, Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Education, Home Office, Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorate and the Ministry for Justice. In addition, we were joined by stakeholders from foundations, commissioners, charities, academia, research institutes and the media. Our social media contacts, like the Mental Elf, ensured good reach of the report out to practitioners and the public interested in the topic area. The event was chaired by Professor Stephani Hatch, Professor of Sociology and Epidemiology at King's College, University of London and co-lead of the ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health. She was joined on the panel by leading experts in mental health, sociology and epidemiology: Tamsin Ford, Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at University of Cambridge; Tim Vizard, Head of Policy, Evidence and Analysis at the Office for National Statistics; Sally McManus, Senior Lecturer at NatCen and City, University of London; and Neil Smith, Head of Analysis at NatCen. The panel provided valuable insights and analysis on the data. The event concluded with engaging and insightful questions from the audience. The launch webinar and the new research generated lively discussion and engagement on social media, with NatCen reaching an audience of over 75,000 through its channels, measured by impressions. This promotion by NatCen was amplified by engagement from key organisations, journalists and policy and research stakeholders - including the ESRC, Mental Elf and the Mental Health Foundation - with a reach of over 1,000,000 followers on Twitter. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.natcen.ac.uk/our-research/research/society-watch-2021 |
| Description | The impact of furlough on mental distress |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A press release and briefing paper based on findings highlighting the protective impact of furlough on mental distress was used by BBC Newsnight in October 2020. The research highlighted the wider benefits of the furlough scheme a few days before it was due to be ended. Smith (PI) spoke with presenters and producers to outline the key findings and to detail the policy implications. The estimated audience was 350,000 people. The piece contributed to the public debate about impact of the pandemic and "lockdown" on workers' mental health. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Understanding Society Insights launch 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Understanding Society hosted online policy events to coincide with the launch of their Insights 2022 Report, containing detailed analysis of the data collected through Understanding Society's COVID-study during the pandemic. The Insight Report featured findings from the first briefing paper published in this project investigating the protective effect of the furlough scheme during the pandemic. Isabel Taylor (PI) presented these findings in a panel session, alongside Christoph Görtz (Associate Professor, Department of Economics, University of Birmingham) and Kate Shoesmith (Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Recruitment and Employment Federation) and answered questions from the audience and moderator, Raj Patel (Associate Director of Policy, Understanding Society). The event was promoted on Understanding Society's mailing list and social media channels, as well as on the social media channels of NatCen and other participants and stakeholders. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/events/2022/01/26/understanding-society-insights-2022 |
| Description | Working from home and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Our briefing paper on mental health and working from home during the pandemic was covered as an exclusive story by The Observer (print) and The Guardian (online), with additional media coverage in the Financial Times, and in sector media including Workplace Insight, Facilities Management Journal, IT Pro, Research Live, with an estimated media reach of over 11 million. The report was also shared through NatCen's social media channels reaching 35,000 people measured by impressions, and was shared with policy stakeholders via the Randall's political monitoring service. Findings were also later featured in The Guardian Labs feature on hybrid work in March 2022. The research highlighted the increased levels of loneliness and mental distress experienced by people working from home as employees were returning to offices across the UK in summer 2021 and contributed to the public debate about impact of the working from home, isolation and financial security on workers' mental health. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/jul/04/revealed-rise-in-stress-among-those-working-from-ho... |