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Hidden effects: The mental health of the UK’s Jewish population during the COVID-19 pandemic

Author(s): David Graham, Carli Lessof and Jonathan Boyd
Date: 05 October 2020

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This short report, the second in the series looking at the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on the UK Jewish population, focuses on the impact of the pandemic on mental health.

The study shows that levels of anxiety rose across the Jewish population in the UK in the context of the pandemic, as they did across the UK population more generally, and certain subgroups – notably young people, women and those who have experienced job losses or been furloughed – stand out.

Other groups identified in the research as showing particularly high levels of mental distress include the permanently sick and disabled, adults with young children at home, those experiencing multiple underlying health conditions that make them particularly vulnerable to the virus, and those suffering from ‘Long COVID’ – i.e. ongoing health problems long after first showing symptoms.

The report further examines the data by synagogue membership and finds that synagogue members are notably less likely to be experiencing mental health issues than non-members.