Supporting national understanding of Coronavirus impacts

In May and June this year M·E·L Research delivered a study for Public Health Wales on the impact of COVID-19 on employment and health.

This showed that of the Welsh working age population in paid employment in February 2020, 3.2% were subsequently unemployed by June 2020 with 32.0% having been placed on furlough.

Groups more likely to be placed on furlough were younger (18-39 years) and older (50-64 years) workers, people from more deprived areas, in lower skilled jobs, in poorer mental wellbeing and from households with less financial security. These findings have clear implications for health going forward.

Full details of the findings can be found here https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.03.20225144v1

M·E·L Research are now working to deliver a follow up phase of this research among those who gave permission to be recontacted, in order to provide updated insight on how the pandemic is  affecting employment, health and wellbeing in Wales.

In addition to this project, over the next two months our telephone interviewing team will be contributing to research across England which aims to better understand behaviours during periods of self-isolation. The purpose of this project is to explore peoples’ perceptions and attitudes toward isolation, including the drivers that lead to some people bending or breaking the rules.

If you would like any further information about our public health research capabilities, please contact Research Director Steve Handley: steve.handley@melresearch.co.uk