New research to uncover the effects of COVID-19 on mental health in Australia

A new survey to assess the mental health of Australians in the face of COVID-19 has been launched by Swinburne researchers.

The survey will be conducted monthly, checking in on Australians as the COVID-19 situation progresses. Participants are asked to share their top concerns related to COVID-19, as well as how it is affecting their mental health and wellbeing.

Results from the survey will be used to inform future policy and decision-making to support the mental health of Australians.

“We’ve noticed there’s a lot of stress about COVID-19 but we want to understand exactly where this stress is coming from and how people are reacting to the current situation,” says Professorial Research Fellow at Swinburne’s Centre for Mental Health, Professor Susan Rossell.

“What are the biggest issues people are facing? Are people stressed about finances? Their family? Their friends? In the media there is a lot of discussion about the ways people are stressed but we have not comprehensively captured this. There is an increasingly urgent need to understand this through research.”

Developing the tools

The survey is open to anyone aged 18 and over current living in Australia, with the aim of obtaining a broad understanding of Australians’ mental health at this time.

The survey will be open for 48 hours from the first of every month, starting Wednesday 1 April, providing a representation of Australians’ mental health over the course of several months.

“We would like to know how people are feelings during this initial period of isolation and change compared with the way they are feeling in June, when feelings of boredom may replace feelings of shock,” says Professor Rossell.

“This research will help us to understand what the biggest mental health challenges in Australia are, both now and in the future.”

Taking part in the survey

Anyone who wants to participate in the survey can do so via this link.

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