How does it feel for me during Covid-19? W/c 8 February 2021

Healthwatch Leeds report on the research and engagement they have undertaken during week commencing 8 February 2021 about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

They report on the emerging findings of a survey on the impact of the pandemic on people’s mental health to which they had received 677 responses.  Most people felt that it had had some negative impact.  Over nine in ten said that having less contact with family and friends had a negative or somewhat negative impact on their mental health.  Women were more likely to report a negative impact on their mental health than men, and were more likely than men to report that home schooling, work and finance was affecting their mental health negatively than men. The younger the respondent was, the more likely they were to say that the pandemic has had a purely negative effect.

Over half the respondents had been coping by staying in touch with family and friends and getting outdoors and exercising.  79 of the respondents had tried to access mental health support over the last 3 months.  They were most likely to approach GPs for help, but GPs had the lowest success rate in offering support.  Over a third reported a positive experience of getting mental health support, compared to just under a third reporting a negative one.  Most commonly people accessed support by phone.

The report also covers engagement with community organisations about the impact of the pandemic on people’s mental health, including groups supporting young people, women, carers, older people, black women and people with learning disabilities.