Impact of Covid-19 on mental health and political engagement to be studied with new APPG survey

Dr Jo Daniels (University of Bath) and Dr Luca Bernard (University of Liverpool) are leading the study into the impact of Covid-19 on clinically vulnerable people. Image Credit: Adobe Stock.

On Monday 17 July Dr Luca Bernardi, Senior Lecturer at the University of Liverpool and Dr Jo Daniels, Senior Lecturer at the University of Bath, in collaboration with the APPG VGP, its group of National Expert advisors and the patient group representing the immunocompromised, Forgotten Lives UK, will launch a joint survey to collect information on the lived experience of the 1.2 million families who are still shielding or living restricted lives due to Covid-19.

The survey builds on Dr Luca Bernardi's 2020 longitudinal study investigating how Covid-19 stressors are associated with mental distress and political engagement in the UK APPG briefing.

Dr Daniels and her team conducted research over the course of the pandemic which showed that those who were shielding themselves or others experienced significantly higher levels of psychological distress in comparison to the general population. See study.

This new survey will look at how a continuing vulnerability to Covid-19 affects mental health and political engagement and gain a better understanding of how the ongoing implications of Covid-19 compare with those of the general population.

The objective is to provide data which will raise awareness and develop policy interventions to improve the care and provision received by immunocompromised people. The APPG VGP has previously published evidence of multiple and significant failures by Government in its handling of the pandemic for this group of 1.2 million families.

Dr Jo Daniels from the University of Bath specialising in Clinical Psychology said: "It is important that we continue our work to understand those who are clinically vulnerable and continue to Shield from COVID-19; although many have continued their lives to post-pandemic, it is important to remember that there are 500,000 people who feel forgotten and left behind as they continue to shield in their homes. By doing this work we can begin to think about how best to support those who have been amongst the most affected by the Pandemic and are continuing to live in very restricted ways".

The results will be published at a meeting in Parliament in November.

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