How are we coping with coronavirus restrictions? 21 Statistics around our wellbeing…

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The world is changing. Here in the UK we are being asked to stay at home, to work from home, and to minimise our movement and travel down to the necessities. We are being asked this to ease pressure on the NHS, to stop the spread of the virus and to save lives.

It’s a strange new world, and we wanted to see if we could understand how people are coping. Well, as you all know, we measure wellbeing regularly. So we did a small survey in our local area, Barnoldswick and nearby to see how people are doing.

Week 2 includes a few more further flung people, as people have shared the survey to friends and family across the UK. This was updated on Friday 3rd April. On Friday 10th April, we added the Week 3 and on Friday 8th May we carried out Week 7 analysis.

Here are the results.

  • 16% of everyone have been asked to stay at home for 12 weeks, 84% have not
  • Week 2: 12% of everyone have been asked to stay at home for 12 weeks, 88% have not
  • Week 3: 21% of everyone have been asked to stay at home for 12 weeks, 79% have not
  • Week 7: 10% of everyone have been asked to stay at home for 12 weeks, 90% have not

This means that our week three audience includes more people shielding than the other weeks.

  • 5% work in the NHS, and a further 11% had close friends or family who worked for the NHS
  • Week 2: 5% work in the NHS, and a further 10% had close friends or family who worked for the NHS
  • Week 3: 5% work in the NHS, and a further 13% had close friends or family who worked for the NHS
  • Week 7 : 8% work in the NHS, and a further 10% had close friends or family who worked for the NHS
Our statistics here are reletively consistent and does indicate that the majority of people are at home, without anyone in their household working on the front line.
  • 23% were considered key workers and continued to work, and a further 45% had close friends and family members who were continuing to work
  • Week 2: 23% were considered key workers and continued to work, and a further 38% had close friends and family members who were continuing to work. This could mean more people are off work ill at the moment.
  • Week 3: 20% were considered key workers and continued to work, and a further 36% had close friends and family members who were continuing to work. This probably does mean more people are off work ill at the moment.
  • Week 7: 33% were considered key workers and continued to work, and a further 37% had close friends and family members who were continuing to work.
We asked the statement; how anxious do you feel for yourself and your family?
  • The average score was 6, but there was a huge range of answers here. 20% were very concerned, scoring 10/10 for anxiety.
  • Week 2: The average score was 6, but there was a huge range of answers here. There has been a small fall to 17% were very concerned, scoring 10/10 for anxiety.
  • Week 3: The average score remains 6, but there was a huge range of answers here. There has been a bigger fall to 10% were very concerned, scoring 10/10 for anxiety, possibly people are getting used to a new ‘normal’.
  • Week 7: The average score has now fallen to a 5. There has been a slight increase as 13% feel very concerned, scoring 10/10 for anxiety. The fall overall means as a whole we are feeling less anxious than we were.
We asked the statement; how anxious do you feel for the world?
  • The average score was 7 with 36% of people feeling very anxious and scoring 10/10.
  • Week 2: The average score was 7 with a larger fall of 21% of people feeling very anxious and scoring 10/10.
  • Week 3: The average score fell to 6 with a larger fall of 10% of people feeling very anxious and scoring 10/10. Please note these were not all the same people who felt anxious for themselves and their family. This is a strong indication that people are coping better in week 3 than in week 1 and 2.
  • Week 7: The average score remained a 6 with 12% of people feeling very anxious and scoring 10/10.
The Warwick- Edinburgh scale of wellbeing measures emotional wellbeing. It’s a well used and well respected scale.

The average Warwick-Edinburgh Score was 44.8. That is MUCH lower than we would normally expect. The average England score here is usually around 51. The NHS states that anything under 40 is indicative of mental health issues and we had 23% of respondents score under 40.

Week 2: Our wellbeing scores are plummeting… 

Week 2: The average Warwick-Edinburgh Score was 41.9. That is MUCH lower than we would normally expect and a significant fall in wellbeing. The average England score here is usually around 51. The NHS states that anything under 40 is indicative of mental health issues and we had 38% of respondents score under 40.

Week 3: Our wellbeing scores are creeping up slowly… 

Week 3: The average Warwick-Edinburgh Score was 42.5. That is MUCH lower than we would normally expect and a significant fall in wellbeing. The average England score here is usually around 51. The NHS states that anything under 40 is indicative of mental health issues and we had 41% of respondents score under 40, which is an increase since Week 2 and a large increase since Week 1.

Week 7: Our wellbeing scores are static.. 

Week 3: The average Warwick-Edinburgh Score was 42.5. That is still MUCH lower than we would normally expect and a significant fall in wellbeing. The average England score here is usually around 51. The NHS states that anything under 40 is indicative of mental health issues and we had 37% of respondents score under 40. This may indicate that wellbeing is not going to change much until life changes.

We asked people what they were concerned about?

Food and Shopping – 66% were somewhat or very concerned

  • Week 2: Food and Shopping – 54% were somewhat or very concerned, a fall in concern levels
  • Week 3: Food and Shopping – 59% were somewhat or very concerned, a rise in concern levels
  • Week 7: Food and Shopping – 58% were somewhat or very concerned,showing a static concern level

Health – 77% were somewhat or very concerned

  • Week 2: Health – 73% were somewhat or very concerned, a fall in concern levels
  • Week 3: Health – 74% were somewhat or very concerned, a small rise in concern levels
  • Week 7: Health – 72% were somewhat or very concerned, a small fall in concern levels

Money – 50% were somewhat or very concerned

  • Week 2: Money – 63% were somewhat or very concerned, a rise in concern levels
  • Week 3: Money – 56% were somewhat or very concerned, a large fall in concern levels
  • Week 7: Money – 50% were somewhat or very concerned, a fall in concern levels

People had visited their GP on average 1.11 times in the last three months and on average take 1.55 types of medication every day.

Week 2: People had visited their GP on average 0.76 times in the last three months and on average take 1.15 types of medication every day. Both of these numbers have fallen.

Week 3: People had visited their GP on average 0.72 times in the last three months and on average take 0.94 types of medication every day. Both of these numbers have continued to fall.Week 7: People had visited their GP on average 0.51 times in the last three months and on average take 0.88 types of medication every day. Both of these numbers have continued to fall.

We asked people on how many days they exercised?
  1. Exercised on 1 day usually; 7%       Week 2: 8%     Week 3: 8%     Week 7: 3%
  2. Exercised on 2 days usually; 14%     Week 2: 12%   Week 3: 12%   Week 7: 18%
  3. Exercised on 3 days usually; 23%     Week 2: 27%   Week 3: 18%   Week 7: 13%
  4. Exercised on 4 days usually; 7%       Week 2: 4%     Week 3: 12%   Week 7: 23%
  5. Exercised on 5 days usually; 16%     Week 2: 15%   Week 3: 11%   Week 7: 8%
  6. Exercised on 6 days usually; 5%       Week 2: 2%     Week 3: 3%     Week 7: 3%
  7. Exercised on 7 days usually; 16%     Week 2: 21%   Week 3: 28%   Week 7: 18%
and only 14% (12% in Week 2, and 8% in Week 3 and 12% in Week 7) did no exercise at all. It will be  interesting to see changes here, as the deputy chief medical officer, Dr Jenny Harries, stated on one of the Covid-19 briefings that they hope people will use the time at home to exercise more. In Week 3 we are starting to see this, as the most popular answer is to exercise everyday and has replaced 3 times a week. In Week 7 this has fallen to exercising 4 times a week is the most common. Are good intentions starting to slip?
We also asked about loneliness, but it won’t make much sense until we repeat the survey and measure the change. We are planning to do this every week or two weeks, in case of illness.

People are feeling more lonely in Week 2, although this eases slightly in Week 3.

Loneliness has remained fairly static between week 4 and week 7.

About our respondents;
  • 44% were working from home and 31% were at home without work
  • 29% were caring for children or other adults
  • 5% were at home and feeling ill
  • 80% were female and 20% male
  • 100% were White British
  • 11% were aged under 30, 64% aged between 30 and 60 and 25% were over 60 years old
  • 61% were not disabled, 32% were limited a little and 7% limited a lot
About our Week 2 respondents;
  • 56% were working from home and 32% were at home without work
  • 44% were caring for children or other adults
  • 4% were at home and feeling ill
  • 87% were female and 13% male
  • 100% were White British
  • 6% were aged under 30, 80% aged between 30 and 60 and 14% were over 60 years old
  • 88% were not disabled, 12% were limited a little and 0% limited a lot
About our Week 3 respondents;
  • 29% were working from home and 43% were at home without work
  • 38% were caring for children or other adults
  • 4% were at home and feeling ill and a further 4% were caring for children or other adults who were feeling ill
  • 88% were female and 12% male
  • 97% were White British and 3% were from a Black or Minority Ethnic background
  • 11% were aged under 30, 65% aged between 30 and 60 and 24% were over 60 years old
  • 71% were not disabled, 16% were limited a little and 11% limited a lot, with a further 3% preferring not to say
About our Week 7 respondents;
  • 45% were working from home and 39% were at home without work
  • 43% were caring for children or other adults
  • 4% were at home and feeling ill but no one was caring for children or other adults who were feeling ill
  • 82% were female and 17% male, and 2% preferred not to say
  • 95% were White British and 3% were from a Black or Minority Ethnic background, while 2% preferred not to say
  • 10% were aged under 30, 78% aged between 30 and 60 and 12% were over 60 years old
  • 66% were not disabled, 5% were limited a little and 29% limited a lot,

How are we coping?

40% of people are using new ways to connect with technology. In Week 2: this had risen to 69%.
In Week 3 56% had been using new ways to connect with technology and 42% were using technology the same as they normally would. Possibly a lot of the learning for new technologies happened in Week 2, and it was now part of people’s ‘normality’. In Week 7 66% had been using new ways to connect with technology and 34% were using technology the same as they normally would. These have increased again, showing how many people are still adapting to a new world.
The following is a list of all the ways people were coping. We wanted to share the ideas and end on a positive note.
  • Daily walk with dogs. Read books. Stay in contact with family and friends. Try to find positives
  • Trying not to think to much about it
  • You tube, walking, videos
  • Walking in the fresh air  , watching comedy on tv
  • Gardening, reading books, trying to limit social media and news
  • Cycling, walking, crafts, gardening, cooking, face timing friends and family
  • Listen to music.
  • Positive mental attitude. I look at the huge opportunities the future presents
  • Playing games, talking to my grandma over her yard wall
  • I’ve been looking at new hobbies.
  • Reading, crafting,
  • Walking the dog. Video links to the gym. Trying to eat well.
  • The whole thing is irritating me as I’m trying to juggle being made redundant and selling my house right now!
  • Enjoying nature
  • Documentaries,  Cpd,  Cooking from scratch
  • Enjoying the sunshine in the yard. Making things at home. Playing games
  • Reading, gardening, cleaning, tv, jigsaw puzzles,
  • Decorating reading and walking
  • chatting to family and friends. started doing some crafts. cleaning
  • Organising/Spring Cleaning  Indoor Recreational Activities
  • PE with Joe Wicks, Video Calling friends and making plans, gardening and planning to grow food, gratitude and positive thinking
  • Creating family WhatsApp groups. Speaking more to people when safe to. Checking in on elderly parents
  • Gardening
  • Gardening
  • Ringing family and friends. Walking alone most days. Spring cleaning. Gardening
  • Keep busy.

Gardening is certainly a popular answer!

Week 2 answers:

  • After I planned for the worse case scenario I am now trying to enjoy some down time
  • Exercise when i can but rare opportunity as 3 disabled kids at home to entertain.
  • Set up a new online shop , filming art tutorials, cooking
  • Daily exercise as usual
  • Trying to stay away from the news, exercise daily & keep in touch with friends  family & colleagues
  • Meditation, focusing on work, spending time with the kids, watching telly, going for runs, walking, starting a journal
  • Walking to get fresh air   Trying to eat healthier
  • Wine!!!
  • Routines;   Daily workouts   work / Admin throughout the day,   Watching a netflix series with my girlfriend in the evening   Xbox   Friday night drinks in the flat with my girlfriend
  • spending time with the children and doing conditioning exercises with Max Whitlock online
  • Crochet essays tv walks
  • Video calling  Baking  Cleaning  Organising  Walking
  • Nothing as I have the virus
  • Focusing on cheering other people up to take my mind off own problems
  • Walking each day
  • Exercise indoors, walks outside when I can. Talking to friends and family often. Reading, watching tv and films that cheer me up.
  • Drinking
  • Getting outside –
  • Gardening / hard landscaping the garden
  • Exercise, Gardening, Gratitude, Jigsaw
  • Landscape gardening.    Playing board games.
  • One day at a time no plans
  • Looking after my horses
  • Have fun at home. Keep in contact with people.
  • Baking and reading
  • Jobs ,gardening , rtf
  • Reading, exercise videos and doing arts and crafts with my children
  • Walk each day
  • Joe Wick’s PE
  • Exercise every day. Cook nice things
  • PMA
  • Daily walk with family
  • Continue working, checking in on neighbours, family and friends, maintaining routine with my children, continuing physical activity
  • Knitting, watching box sets, cleaning

In Week 3, we asked some questions about hope. People on the whole think the shutdown will last about 12 weeks. That would mean these measures continuing to the 15th June.

Finally we asked about hope for the future. On average, where 10 was very hopeful and 0 was no hope, people scored a 6. 10% of people were full of hope scoring 10/10 on this question.

In Week 7 we asked again about hope. On average, where 10 was very hopeful and 0 was no hope, people scored a 6 again. A slight fall, as only 8% of people were full of hope scoring 10/10 on this question.

The picture is now quite static. We have learned an awful lot about our wellbeing during this time. Let’s end this project on a positive as we share what people have been up to, to stay cheerful over the last 7 weeks.

  • Walking each day with family  Eating proper meals  Getting enough sleep
  • My name is David Whipp. I am all I need to stay cheerful and healthy. My cheese and onion pies will sustain me for eternity. I am the law! (I kept this in, all our local Barnoldswick people will understand this, if you don’t – it’s a joke!)
  • same as usual
  • Working. Enjoying the extra free time.
  • Just carrying on as near to usual as possible sticking to the new rules and hoping we’ll be free soon
  • Trying to be positive and only be around positive people. I feel guilty when I go out alone to exercise as I generally spend 2>4 hours out as I’m alone
  • Continued to work as normal, exercise regularly and keeping in touch with family and friends
  • Helping others where safe and possible
  • Trying my hardest to be positive trying to not think I am on my own. I ve tried to cycle to and from work to boost my mood I think most for me is having a positive outlook and think it’s not forever.
  • Making things for charity. Sitting by my front door to get some sunshine when possible as I can’t get outdoors.
  • Decorating   Baking   Doing activities with the children   Daily walks
  • Nature, laughing, thinking
  • Gardening, painting, beekeeping, crosswords, reading,baking.
  • Sorting my life out
  • Jigsaws and Family Tree
  • Walking and eating better
  • Working, baking, gardening, tidying, DIY
  • Exercise, cooking nice things, online shopping, gardening
  • Baking, Reading, Listening to music, Keeping in touch with friends and family
  • Focusing on work. Taking exercise. Connecting with friends & family. Meditation & keeping a journal.
  • Puzzles, Netflix, Baking, Calls with friends and family, crafts
  • get outside and enjoy the area we live in
  • Walking more than normal, making the weekend different by having treats and playing games online with friends. Arranging times to video call friends.
  • Nothing
  • Reading
  • Baking
  • Focus on work. Weekends are hard to deal with
  • Enjoying the garden, going for a daily walk with family,
  • Jigsaw puzzle. Family quizzes by phone
  • Working
  • Nothing particularly hence why I’m not cheerful and my health is not the best and the worry does not help
  • Nothing specific
  • Knitting
  • Trying to keep busy with diy projects but I’ve lost the will now.
  • Nothing
  • Walking and gardening.
  • Gardening
  • Speaking on facebook, telephone
  • PE with Joe Wicks
  • nothing been to busy looking after 2 disabled children
  • Drinking alcohol more   FaceTime   Calling friends, family, work colleague   Being outside in open space-which we are lucky to live in a house with lots of outdoor space
  • Walking my dogs
  • I run a small bird rescue so keeps my mind occupied
  • Baking, eating fresh food
  • Not a lot
  • weight lifting
  • Nothing
  • Joe Wicks exercise every day,crochet headbands for hospitals, baking, trying to master my iPad to do some online sales as shop is closed in Skipton
  • Colouring housework playing games Zumba
  • Baking, watching TV, music, hot tub, walks,drinking and eating
  • DIY and gardening
  • Gardening  Reading
  • Just getting on with it
  • Paint furniture
  • Working and drinking
  • N/a

Any queries about this work, drop us an email at kirsty@theevaluator.co.uk

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