Mental Health and COVID-19 Survey #3

Here we go again

We hoped it wouldn't come to this, but in light of the most recent wave of COVID-19 and ongoing lockdown, we have decided to reengage with you on this, the third in our Mental Health and COVID-19 Surveys. This survey will help us better understand the impact a year of on and off lockdowns has affected the mental health of Victorians, and compare how people’s responses have changed over this time.

Our previous surveys have helped us adapt our service to better support all consumers, as well as establish new services such as CHECK-IN, our peer support and connection program, as well as provide insight to other organisations and departments, such as DHHS, on the current mental wellbeing of Victorians.

Content warning: this survey asks about experiences that you may find distressing, including suicide and self-harm. If you are triggered by any questions in this survey, please call CHECK-IN on 1800 845 009

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* 1. Have you or do you currently live with mental or emotional distress? (Select one)

Yes

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* 2. What is your gender? (Select one)

Female

Male

Non-binary

Prefer not to say

Other (please specify)

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* 3. What is your age? (Select one)

Under 18

18-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65+

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* 4. Do you identify as…(Select as appropriate)

Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander

Person from a culturally or linguistically diverse background

Person who identifies as LGBTQIA+

None of the above

Prefer not to say

Other (please specify)

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* 5. Where do you live within Victoria? (Select one)

Metro

Large country city

Regional

Rural

Prefer not to say

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* 6. What best describes your current employment situation? (Select as appropriate)

Full time employment working from home

Full time employment on site

Part time employment down from full time employment due to COVID-19

Part time employment – no change due to COVID-19

Volunteering

Redundant due to COVID-19

Retired

Student – no change due to COVID-19

Student – no longer able to study due to COVID-19

Stay at home parent – no change due to COVID-19

Stay at home parent due to COVID-19

Self employed

Unable to work – no change since COVID-19

Unsure - Due to Covid-19

Prefer not to say

Other (please specify)

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* 7. Who are you currently in isolation or lockdown with? (Select as appropriate)

On your own

A partner

A friend

Multiple friends

Sole parent with child(ren)

Partner and child(ren)

Pet

Carer

Other (please specify)

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* 8. If you have used Telehealth, how do you feel about the service? (Select one)

Did not like the service

No opinion about the service

Liked the service

Never used Telehealth

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* 9. Is this use of services different during lockdowns

Yes

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* 10. If yes, how?

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* 11. If you liked the service, what worked for you?

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* 12. If you did not like the service, what did not work for you?

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* 13. How did you feel during during this time last year, during COVID-19? (Select a maximum of 3)

Anxious or panicked

Depressed

Lonely

Lacking motivation or tired

Stressed

Angry or frustrated

Hopeless

Positive

None of the above

Other (please specify)

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* 14. How would you describe your current mental health compared to this time last year?

A lot worse

A little worse

Stayed the same

A little better

A lot better

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* 15. How are you currently feeling? (Select a maximum of 3)

Anxious or panicked

Depressed

Lonely

Lacking motivation or tired

Stressed

Angry or frustrated

Hopeless

Positive

None of the above

Other (please specify)

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* 16. Are you experiencing any new emotions during this most recent lockdown?

Yes

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* 17. What are they and why do you now experience them?

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* 18. Have you experienced any of the below behaviour during this latest lockdown?

	Not at all	A little	A concerning amount
Suicidal thoughts	Suicidal thoughts Not at all	Suicidal thoughts A little	Suicidal thoughts A concerning amount
Suicidal attempts	Suicidal attempts Not at all	Suicidal attempts A little	Suicidal attempts A concerning amount
Self-harm	Self-harm Not at all	Self-harm A little	Self-harm A concerning amount
Use of alcohol	Use of alcohol Not at all	Use of alcohol A little	Use of alcohol A concerning amount
Use of drugs	Use of drugs Not at all	Use of drugs A little	Use of drugs A concerning amount
Withdrawal	Withdrawal Not at all	Withdrawal A little	Withdrawal A concerning amount
Violent behaviour towards yourself from others	Violent behaviour towards yourself from others Not at all	Violent behaviour towards yourself from others A little	Violent behaviour towards yourself from others A concerning amount
Violent behaviour from you towards others	Violent behaviour from you towards others Not at all	Violent behaviour from you towards others A little	Violent behaviour from you towards others A concerning amount
Anger	Anger Not at all	Anger A little	Anger A concerning amount
None of the above	None of the above Not at all	None of the above A little	None of the above A concerning amount

Other (please specify)

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* 19. Have you found any positives during this latest lockdown?

Yes

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* 20. If yes, what are these?

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* 21. What effect of the latest wave of COVID-19 has had the biggest impact on your mental health? (Select a maximum of 3)

Going back into lockdown after months of eased restrictions

Accessing Vaccinations

New strains of COVID-19

More isolated

Restrictions on movement

Difficult to exercise

Home schooling/child care

Everything being closed apart from essential services

Lack or limited access to mental health services

Masks

Finance

Concern for others

Catching the virus

The media

Isolation with violent partner

Employment instability of lack of

Education and Training instability or lack of

Housing instability or lack of

None of the above

Other (please specify)

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* 22. Where are you currently getting mental health support? (Select a maximum of 3)

Family

Partner

Friends

Pets

Services

Mental health community

VMIAC

You aren’t getting support

Other (please specify)

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* 23. What has been helpful during this latest wave of COVID-19? (Select a maximum of 3)

Connecting with others

Focus on self-care

Hobbies

Exercising

Mental health services

Animals

Yoga or meditation

Working or studying

Healthy eating

Gardening

Cleaning

Religion

Nothing

None of the above

Other (please specify)

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* 24. In what way has VMIAC been helpful during COVID-19? (Select a maximum of 3)

Website

Social media

CHECK-IN

Email newsletters

Advocacy

General support

Workshops

Webinars

COVID-19 information and focus on wellbeing

Surveys

None of the above

Other (please specify)

The below Questions is a new Question, added to the Survey based on feedback.

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* 25. What Services or Support Have you used Related to the impact of Covid?

Acute Hospitals

Emergency

Community Services

Clinical Services

Social Worker

Alternative Mental Health Support

Religious services

Family/Friend

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* 26. How useful have those services been?

A great deal

A lot

A moderate amount

A little

None at all

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* 27. Please Explain your Answer?

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* 28. What further support would help from VMIAC? (Select a maximum of 3)

More people to speak and connect with in general

Community workshops or social activities

More information

Webinars and workshops about mental health and associated issues

Increased service support such as advocacy or assistance with the NDIS

Connection and Support Groups

Nothing

Other (please specify)

During the last year we implemented a number of new online and hybrid events, such as our Royal Commission Workshops, What If? Webinars, and our Just Saying Hybrid online and in person launch.

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* 29. Did you attend any of these events at VMIAC, or other online events to do with mental health and wellbeing?

Yes

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* 30. If yes, how did you find the experience of attending these online events?

Very positive

Positive

Neutral

Negative

Very negative

Did not attend

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* 31. Do you think VMIAC should continue to run events like this in the future, even after COVID-19?

Yes

Unsure

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* 32. Explain your answer

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* 33. In response to our first COVID-19 survey, we established CHECK-IN, a peer connection and support program, how likely are you to access this service?

Already have accessed

Very Likely

Likely

Neither likely nor unlikely

Unlikely

Very unlikely

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* 34. Explain your answer

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* 35. Is there anything about your experiences of mental health and wellbeing in relation to COVID-19, lockdowns, issolation, etc that you wish to share.