Research from INSEAD highlights persistent mental health challenges among young, Muslim, and lower-income groups in the UK following the COVID-19 pandemic. Conducted by Professor Mark Stabile from INSEAD, Professor Miqdad Asaria from the London School of Economics, and Henrique Neves from the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the study utilized data from approximately 40,000 households to assess mental health trends before and during the pandemic.
The study found that Muslims in the UK experienced a more significant and prolonged mental health decline compared to non-Muslims. Pre-pandemic mental health levels were similar for Muslims and non-Muslims in the UK, but a notable gap emerged starting April 2020, lasting at least until late 2021.
Muslims reported a nearly 3-point decrease on a 36-point mental health scale—almost three times the decrease observed in non-Muslims. Although non-Muslims' mental health generally rebounded by September 2021, Muslims' scores remained nearly 2 points below pre-pandemic levels.
Researchers attributed two-thirds of the mental health disparity to Muslims' younger age and higher likelihood of living in low-income households, both factors increasing vulnerability to mental health decline. However, even when comparing poor, young Muslims with their non-Muslim counterparts, the mental health gap persisted, suggesting other factors at play.
Further comparisons among older, wealthier Muslims and non-Muslims, as well as between various South Asian groups, confirmed a consistent Muslim-non-Muslim mental health disparity. These findings imply that being Muslim in the UK, alongside the experience of discrimination, contributes to this disparity.
“Being young, poor, or Muslim in the UK each acted as an independent risk factor for experiencing a more severe mental health decline during the pandemic,” said Mark Stabile, Professor of Economics and The Stone Chaired Professor in Wealth Inequality at INSEAD. “The overlap of these identities means that Muslims in the UK were particularly vulnerable, suffering a triple mental health penalty. The question remains – why has being Muslim in the UK led to poorer mental health?”
Data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study was used, measuring mental health through the General Health Questionnaire. The study accounted for various factors including age, income, household structure, and geography.
The study's findings emphasize ongoing unequal mental health impacts from the pandemic, with targeted mental health interventions urgently needed. This research was published in the journal Social Science & Medicine in the summer of 2024.