Kieran Ayling

Kieran Ayling is a researcher at University of Nottingham.

Project: 'Mental health in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: early observations.'

Summary: Previous pandemics have resulted in significant consequences for mental health. This is a report of the mental
health sequela of the COVID-19 pandemic on the UK population and researchers examine modifiable and non-modifiable
explanatory factors associated with mental health outcomes. They focus on the short-term consequences for
mental health, as reported during the first four-six weeks of social distancing measures being introduced.

Outcomes.
N=3097 eligible individuals participated. The cohort was predominantly female (85%); mean age forty-four
years; 10% from minority ethnic groups; 50% described themselves as key-workers and 20% identified as
having clinical risk factors putting them at increased risk of COVID-19. Mean scores for depression, stress and
anxiety significantly exceeded population norms. Analysis of non-modifiable factors indicated that being
younger and female were associated with all outcomes, with the final multivariable models accounting for 7-
13% of variance. When adding modifiable factors, significant independent effects emerged for positive mood,
perceived loneliness and worry about getting COVID-19 for all outcomes, with the final multivariable models
accounting for 54-57% of variance.

Interpretation.
Increased psychological morbidity was evident in this UK cohort, with younger people and women at particular
risk. Interventions targeting perceptions of: loneliness, risk of COVID-19, worry about COVID-19, and positive
mood may be effective.