Delhi, Guwahati display highest mental strength to cope with anxieties since outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic: TRA Research

The study measured health worry, economy worry, family worry, financial worry of citizens, their ability to cope with them

TRA Research released a white paper recently tracking the mental well-being of citizens across urban India during the lockdown period. The survey was conducted across 16 cities between March 23 and May 21, 2020. The study measured health worry, economy worry, family worry and financial worry of citizens and their ability to cope with them.

The demographic pattern of the Mental Well-being Index (MWBI) shows that citizens of Delhi (NCR) and Guwahati display the highest mental strength in their ability to cope with their anxieties since the Coronavirus spread started in India. Hyderabad had 87 per cent Mental Well-being Index score displaying ‘Excellent’ mental ability. Indore and Chandigarh, both at 78 per cent are rated ‘Very Good’ on mental well-being.

However in the South, most cities showed greater vulnerability in coping with their COVID worries with Chennai having the lowest MWBI score at 43 per cent followed closely by Kochi at 45 per cent. Nagpur was also in the same range with a 44 per cent score.

Speaking about the report N Chandramouli, CEO, TRA Research, said that “Research shows that mental well-being impacts people’s coping effectiveness, relationships, performance, mood, emotional balance, and also physical health. The necessity of measuring mental well-being is crucial as the most important indicator of how people, cities and countries may get impacted when faced with such a severe crisis, and how they emerge in its wake.”

“The sharpening Coronavirus curve, a long-drawn lockdown, with related health, economic and financial insecurities have pushed Indian citizens into a wave of mental well-being anxieties without enough coping mechanisms,” Chandramouli added elaborating on the findings of report.

“Mental well-being is ‘bi-directional’, implying that mental illnesses are not merely consequences of the pandemic, but an inability to deal with them effectively can lead to a greater collective impact of the disease,” concluded Chandramouli.