Participants needed for focus groups to discuss pandemic-related mental health

Ohio University seeks students, faculty, staff, and Athens community members to participate in online focus groups to discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health measures enabled or constrained people's mental wellbeing. The focus groups are part of a broader initiative by the University and community partners to increase peoples’ engagement and sense of connection with others, to normalize and destigmatize mental health issues and pandemic-related distress, and to increase mental health support service utilization.

Last fall, Special Assistant to the President for Public Health Operations Gillian Ice secured a Rise and Thrive Campus-Community Partnerships grant from Prevention First to support a collaboration between the University and the Athens City-County Health Department. Project partners will plan and implement COVID recovery efforts focused on mental and behavioral health to counter the profound social isolation caused by the pandemic. This effort will build on the strong partnership that the organizations forged to respond to the pandemic. 

Individuals who participate in the focus groups must be older than 18, be associated with Ohio University or Athens County within the last year and must not experience inordinate amounts of distress discussing pandemic experiences. If you are qualified and interested, please complete a brief survey. Focus group participants will receive an email and a Microsoft TEAMS link to their 45-minute focus group and a $15 gift card after participation. IRB # 20-X-176