NCR, Guwahati better able to cope with Lockdown stress: Survey

TRA Research, a consumer insights and brand analytics company, released the whitepaper today tracking the Mental Wellbeing of citizens across urban India during the lockdown period.

The survey was conducted across 16 cities between March 23 and May 21. It 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 Wellbeing Index (MWBI) showed that citizens of Delhi (NCR) and Guwahati displayed the highest mental strength in their ability to cope with their anxieties since the coronavirus spread started in India.

In the East, Kolkata and Guwahati were covered in the study which have vastly different Mental Wellbeing scores of 49 per cent and 95 per cent respectively. Kolkata, it will be recalled, had the lowest Economy Worry across cities.

Hyderabad had 87 per cent Mental Wellbeing Index score displaying ‘Excellent’ Mental ability. Indore and Chandigarh, both at 78 per cent are rated ‘Very Good’ on Mental Wellbeing.

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, "Research shows that Mental Wellbeing impacts people's coping effectiveness, relationships, performance, mood, emotional balance and also physical health. The necessity of measuring Mental Wellbeing 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 wellbeing anxieties without enough coping mechanisms, Mr Chandramouli added elaborating on the findings of report.

“Mental Wellbeing 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,” the TRA’s CEO said.