Here's how you can help Southern Health's global study on mental health during the coronavirus pandemic

The study aims to explore how coronavirus and the lockdown are affecting our emotions, behaviour and wellbeing.

It comes as a survey of The News readers reported that 10 per cent of people had found that the lockdown had ‘severely affected’ their mental health.

Southern Health researchers are undertaking the work with more than 55 sites across the UK, including the Royal Free Hospital in London, Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, Solent NHS Trust and Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust.

The study is also being shared by partners across the world, including those in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Singapore, Egypt, and Bahrain.

Prof Shanaya Rathod, Consultant Psychiatrist and Director of Research at Southern Health said: ‘The global impact of COVID 19 will be felt by us for a long time.

‘Our study aims to investigate the psychological impact of COVID 19 on general population, healthcare workers, patients with COVID and individuals with vulnerabilities.’

The study is linked to the Medical Research Council global health research programme led by the Portsmouth-Brawijaya Centre for Global Health, Population, and Policy, University of Portsmouth.

Professor Rathod added: ‘The global platform and use of validated questionnaires allows the study to assess the wider impact of culture, political landscapes and impact of different responses in different countries. As a result we will be able to understand and strengthen our ongoing responses and those for any future crisis.’

Anyone over the age of 16 can take part in the study, which is available on Southern Health’s website.

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