Taraki often conducts research into a range of activities to help develop, share and progress knowledge around mental health in Punjabi communities.
This report was undertaken by Taraki through a team with academic and lived expertise. It is a window into mental well-being across Punjabi communities during COVID-19 + lock-down. You can read the poster presentation for the report here.
Research has shown that communities racialised as Black and minority ethnic (BAME) experienced COVID-19 and lock-down distinctly differently from their counterparts racialised as white, with BAME groups more likely to die from COVID-19 once diagnosed and reporting higher levels of mental distress. Compiled by a team of grassroots groups and activists with academic and lived expertise, Taraki coordinated this research to consider the impact of COVID-19 and lock-down on the mental well-being of Punjabi communities.
This research covered three broad questions:
- What is the impact of COVID-19 and lock-down on the psychological well-being of Punjabi people with previous mental health challenges?
- What is the impact of COVID-19 and lock-down on the psychological well-being of Punjabi people without previous mental health challenges?
- What supports have Punjabi communities accessed during COVID-19 and lock-down?
how has this research been shared and used?
It’s integral to show how this research has been used to shape change and who it has reached since its publication, demonstrating the value for everyone who took part and more.
implementing findings: grant applications + new projects
- The findings were used to successfully win a grant from NSUN which was used to scale Punjabi LGBTQ+ mental health support through The Open Minds Project.
- The findings led to a stream of work on improving faith-based approaches to mental health in Punjabi communities. An insight report on this topic can be viewed here.
- The findings have also supported the commissioning of a student mental health support service for Punjabi students and Punjabi LGBTQ+ students with Student Minds.
- The findings of this report and our existing work with Punjabi men supported us to receive a grant aimed at supporting Punjabi men’s mental health from Movember.
sharing findings: engagement + consultations
- The report launch made over 43,000 impressions on Taraki’s social media, with several thousand engaging directly with the report and other knowledge products.
- Four one-minute videos were produced to disseminate report findings in smaller, more digestible chunks. You can view them here.
- Two consultation events were organised to disseminate findings to different stakeholders across research, policy and advocacy. You can view a consultation here.
sharing findings: academic + policy communities
- A poster presentation was developed and presented at the Grand Challenges 2020 Annual Meeting - it is available here through Gates Open Research.
- This research was presented virtually at the South Asian Mental Health Conference 2021 to an audience of academics and advocates from around the world.
- This research was presented to healthcare policy leaders at a Policy Foresight conference on the topic of adult mental health.
- This research and its co-produced approach was included as a book chapter written by Shuranjeet Singh in a book entitled COVID-19 and Co-production in Health and Social Care Research, Policy, and Practice which was published by Policy Press and is available for free here.
sharing findings: awareness across media
The research findings have been cited in international media as well as to all-party parliamentary groups in the United Kingdom.
The report has been discussed, referenced, and/or cited in the following publications:
