Socioeconomic inequalities in mental health and wellbeing amongst UK Higher Education staff during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of policymakers and psychological needs

Staff in Higher Education (HE) experience some of the lowest levels of mental health and wellbeing of any professional group, with the poorest wellbeing found among those with low socioeconomic status (SES). Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic further impacted the working environments of HE staff during an already strained sociopolitical context. Drawing on needs theory, we examine the contributions of policymakers to the prevalence of mental health inequalities within HE. HE staff (n = 1,116) across the UK completed a pre-registered survey during a ‘stay at home’ order. Lower subjective SES was associated with poorer mental health and wellbeing, and with lower levels of inclusion (i.e., liking) and perceived worth (i.e., respect) by policymakers. A structural equation model revealed that inclusion and perceived worth by policymakers mediated the relationship between subjective SES and mental health and wellbeing. Perceived control by policymakers was linked to differences in mental health and wellbeing, but unexpectedly there was no evidence of a relationship with subjective SES. The findings suggest that perceptions of policymakers may exacerbate socioeconomic inequalities in mental health and wellbeing in HE. The work points to psychological needs as a novel route through which sociopolitical context may impact population mental health and wellbeing.