Dr , Labour’s Shadow Mental Health Minister,
responding to the BMJ Open report on the impact of COVID-19 on
stress, anxiety and depression, said:
“Study after study are demonstrating the toll this virus has been
having on our country’s mental health.
“With an end to the furlough scheme, and families’ futures being
ever more uncertain, there is a pending mental health crisis and
no proposed action from the Government.
“The Government need to take notice and must make mental health
provision a priority.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
1. The study 'Mental health in the UK during the COVID-19
pandemic: cross-sectional analyses from a community cohort study'
was published today [Wednesday] in BMJ Open.
Key findings:
- People are experiencing significantly more stress, anxiety
and depression since lockdown began, with women and young people
the most affected.
- Stress, anxiety and depression were all significantly higher
in participants compared with previous published norms, with 64%
of participants reporting symptoms of depression and 57%
reporting symptoms of anxiety.
- When considering the thresholds at which someone would
qualify for high intensity psychological support in the NHS, the
team observed that 31.6% reported moderate to severe depression
and 26% moderate to severe anxiety.
- Loneliness, concerns about getting COVID-19 and their
experience of positive mood, accounted for 54-57% of the
variability in mental health.
