Mental Health Project Update | Coronavirus Visualization Team
The Mental Health Project, led by CVT members Divya Venkataraman and Sampath Rapuri, aims to examine the relationship between COVID-19 and mental health and attack the stigma that frequently enshrouds the subject matter.
“This is a unique project because of our goal of using data to spread awareness about mental health,” says Divya Venkataraman, project co-lead. “Many people don’t bother to look at the data surrounding mental health, especially because of the negative stigma surrounding it, as described above. However, with our [visualizations], people will be able to understand the true importance of mental health and taking care of themselves to better their well-being, as well be educated about the unknown realm of mental health as a whole. We have already partnered with many organizations, and more to come, to help spread awareness of our unique and interesting mission. We have even presented at Simply Neuroscience’s Simply Neurocon!”
The pandemic has not only impeded the physical health of many Americans but has also caused overwhelming uncertainty and fear. Many people are anxious about the future state of this country, with issues stemming from rising COVID cases, emerging virus variants, and slow vaccination campaigns. As researchers are continuing to discover, many of these anxieties lead to increased rates of depression, loneliness, and PTSD, which is a phenomenon that has grown in countries worldwide. The Mental Health Project aims to address these rising concerns by publishing data visualizations and infographics that help inform the mass public.
Current Project Initiatives
There are four primary initiatives that the Mental Health project has for the coming months:
1. They hope to uncover the relationship between COVID-19 and mental health by analyzing data and creating informative, user-friendly visuals.
2. They intend to publish these visualizations on the CVT Instagram page (@joinerevna) and other mental health publications, specifically Thrive Global, BroglieBlog, & Psychology Today
3. They aim to examine certain stress tests in various countries around the world as well as compare symptoms of MH disorders from previous years
4. Lastly, they plan to interview psychology professors from around the world and take into account their perspective on mental health during this pandemic. This project will utilize the professors’ expert testimonies for further research.
To do this, the Mental Health Project has been experimenting with various types of software, especially Tableau Public, to visualize their data and become aware of which topics need to be addressed. After they gather their research, they work to create aesthetically pleasing infographics detailing the importance of mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic (through the incorporation of research statistics, visual icons, and audience engagement).
The Mental Health Project is currently divided into two sub-teams that each collaborates to contribute to the project’s overarching initiatives: the MH Data-Visualization Team and MH Infographics Team. Members in the Data-Visualization Team are tasked with finding a particular topic to research, adding their topic to the centralized Mental Health spreadsheet, and then researching existing data sets to create desired visualizations. Members in the Infographics Team sift through completed visualizations that they have not yet converted into infographics, and then they design them using platforms like Canva or Figma. Together the two teams work in tandem to spread data-based information to others in need!
The Mental Health Project could always use more help on both ends.
Visualization Analysis
One unique aspect of this project is their ability to create data visualizations and then convert them into informational infographics. As Divya Venkataraman suggests, these infographics transfer mental health information to readers in a concise, understandable, and informative way.
The team firstly sought to create generalized infographics that communicate the mental health crisis to the general public, including common symptoms that they may recognize and helpful resources that are always available to those in need.
The team has also done extensive research on the underlying factors exacerbating these mental health issues, including the use of social media. Due to the overwhelming amount of disinformation that is accessible at any minute, social media contributes to high levels of stress and anxiety during this pandemic. Another underlying cause heightening this mental health crisis is economic concerns. Financial devastation and job loss have risen rapidly over the last year, and many families have been left struggling to make it through each week. The COVID-19 has ushered in a whole new wave of economic unrest.
Individuals all across the globe have had great difficulty remaining positive during this time. A year-long COVID-19 survey of Canadians, documented by the Mental Health Project, found that rates of anxiety and depression have quadrupled and doubled (respectively) since the onset of the pandemic. Common negative influences included economic concerns, social isolation, and the fear of catching the virus.
Nevertheless, researchers have found lifestyle choices (especially self-care and human companionship) to improve mental health significantly and help individuals gain a more positive outlook on life. After the Mental Health Project took a closer look at Canadians’ response to this health crisis, they found that simple tasks such as reading, exercising, spending time with pets, and entertainment/media have all served as sources of positivity during this period.
Lastly, the Mental Health Project was also interested in looking at how the pandemic has impacted different minority groups. After surveying Chinese health care workers during this pandemic, the project found that women, nurses, and front-line workers were most likely to suffer from mental health issues. Their high-pressure roles in society, alongside their prolonged exposure to the virus, can be putting additional stress on these groups of people.
With many other infographics already published, the Mental Health Project is excited to continue growing its research endeavors and dismantling existing mental health stigma with each new day.
Recruitment Needs
Currently, the Mental Health Project is open to all members willing to demonstrate time and commitment to the project’s initiatives. Leaders fluent in table graphing, visualization design, and article analysis are particularly needed. If you are interested in this project, especially possessing any of these skill sets, and would like to apply to be a member of the Coronavirus Visualization Team as a whole, please fill out this form below!
The CVT is always on the lookout for partnerships and project collaborations with organizations that seek data we can use. We welcome organizations that are willing to provide mentorship and resources to help us fulfill our mission. If you would be interested in collaborating and/or mentoring Project Mental Health with any of their initiatives, please email us at coronavirusvisualizationteam@gmail.com.
Thank you for reading this project update!
