People from black and minority ethnic groups have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19, with many needing prolonged stays in intensive care.
Natalie Bidad is a trainee clinical psychologist at the University of Surrey who is looking to explore the experience of members of the BAME community to gain an insight as to the possible barriers and the specific difficulties these communities face in their recovery and rehabilitation.
This study will explore peoples’ experience of recovering from critical illness with COVID-19 and investigate the similarities and the differences in experiences and meanings according to ethnicity.
Can you help?
If you are an ex-ICU or HDU patient who had a stay with COVID-19 and self-identify as being Black, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Indian, Mixed or other Minority Ethnicity, and would be willing to talk about your experiences with a researcher by video call (e,g, Zoom or Microsoft Teams), then Natalie would like to hear from you. A professional interpreter can be arranged for any participants who are not confident to speak fluent English.
No travel is required and the focus groups will be online. If you are interested in helping with the study, please email Natalie
About the study
In the UK people who identify as Black, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Indian, Mixed or other Minority Ethnicity have been disproportionally affected by COVID-19. The aim of the study is to find out what it has been like for people for people who identify as any of these ethic backgrounds to be critically unwell with COVID-19.
When someone is critically unwell, they need to be cared for on an ICU or HDU. Past research has shown that people admitted to ICU/HDU can experience ups and downs afterwards, or be upset by memories to do with that admission. Other aspects of being critically unwell with COVID-19 may also affect recovery, for example how he or she feels about having caught the virus and the consequences of being unwell on themselves and their loved ones.
Further information about the study is available here in the following languages: