We would like to invite you to participate in the Covid-19 Psychiatry and Neurological Genetics (COPING) study run by the NIHR BioResource Centre Maudsley (part of the NIHR BioResource) at King’s College London.

Previous research has shown that viral pandemics can lead to substantial distress in society and negatively influence mental and neurological health. The COPING study will assess the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on mental and neurological health. We are interested in how different factors associated with the virus are affecting the population.

Taking part in the COPING study involves completing the initial questionnaire which will take about 30-40 minutes with the option to consent to receive follow up questionnaires every 2 weeks throughout the pandemic. These follow-up questionnaires will take about 15 minutes to complete and will help us to understand how the impact of the pandemic may change over time.

These follow-up questionnaires will include additional brief questionnaires (around 5 minutes) that we would distribute after a major change in the pandemic restrictions.

To take part you should have received an email from the EDGI team to the email address which you registered with. If you did not receive an email and you would like to take part in the COPING study, please email us at edgi@kcl.ac.uk.

For more information, download out information sheet or read the FAQs below.

COPING FAQs

Am I eligible to take part?

You can take part in the COPING Study if you have already taken part in EDGI and have completed the initial sign up questionnaire.

Can I take part if I don’t live in UK?

Unfortunately, due to ethics regulations, you are not eligible to take part if you do not currently live in England, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Can I take part in the COPING study if I am not eligible for EDGI?

If you are not eligible for EDGI but would like to take part in the COPING study, please email the EDGI team at edgi@kcl.ac.uk.

Do I have to complete the entire baseline questionnaire in one sitting?

No, you do not have to complete the questionnaire in one go. You may decide to take breaks throughout your questionnaire. As long as you are using the same questionnaire link, your responses will be saved and you can always go back to complete it.

Do I need to complete a saliva sample?

You do not have to complete a saliva sample as you are already a member of EDGI and will have therefore previously provided a saliva sample.

Who do I contact if I have a problem or question?

You can email the study team on copingstudy@kcl.ac.uk.

How is the information kept confidential?

Keeping your information secure is our highest priority. There are a number of regulations and policies that the COPING study complies with to ensure the data is protected and that biological samples are stored correctly. 

The General Data Protection Regulation is an EU Regulation which was put in place to ensure the protection of all EU citizens’ data privacy. It also gives people the rights to access any information held about them. 

The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Do I have to do the questionnaire again if I have already participated the Repeated Assessment of Mental Health in Pandemics (RAMP) Study?

Unfortunately, due to ethical regulations, we are not able to merge your responses with the RAMP Study. If you would like to participate in the COPING study, you will have to do the questionnaire again. As these are two separate studies, there will be sections which are not included in other studies, such as the RAMP study. 

Do I have to disclose my participation to my life insurer?

No, you do not normally have to disclose your research participation to your life insurer.