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The number of deaths caused by coronavirus continues to rise, but experts are looking at the causes other than Covid-19 that could also be contributing to poor health and possible death.

Mental health issues, a reluctance to ask for medical assistance, and not wanting to add more pressure on the health services could be reasons why people are not accessing the help they need.

The PA news agency spoke to some professors about what other deaths the coronavirus social distancing measures may be contributing to.

Tom Dening, professor of dementia research, faculty of medicine and health sciences at the University of Nottingham, said: "There doesn't seem to be any data that so far suggests there is a wave of suicides.

"It is however quite possible that we will see an increase in suicides and self-harm over time, the longer the lockdown goes on."

While Dr Dean Burnett, honorary research associate at Cardiff Psychology School, said the measures may be pushing people to their limits.

He said: "Most anxiety is caused by perhaps imagined threats and concerns, or potential dangers which may be, whereas now in the news they are telling us every day that there's a genuine risk, just by leaving your house."

He added that the feedback loop could lead to things becoming "intolerable" and could be when "things like suicide occur".

The University of Nottingham has launched a UK wide study alongside Kings College London that looks at how mental health is being affected by the pandemic.

The COVID-19 Stress and Health Study will be supported by stress hormone testing company, MyFertile and is recruiting for people to take part.

The new study will examine the effects of Covid-19 on society by taking repeated assessments of emotional well-being using questionnaires and by collecting samples of hair which contains stress hormones.

(Image: University of Nottingham)

Kavita Vedhara, Professor of Health Psychology, at the University of Nottingham, is leading the study.

She said: “We have worked in the area of stress and health for 30 years now, and one of the key things we’ve learnt is that when we experience stressful situations for protracted periods of time, such as during this pandemic, it can have real implications for our health and wellbeing.

"So, we are seeking to understand, whether and how the pandemic is affecting us emotionally and physically.”

Participants will be asked to complete a short online survey on three occasions; on entry into the study, 12 weeks later, and potentially again after a change in social distancing has been introduced.

They will also be asked to provide a small sample of hair for measurement of the stress hormone cortisol.

Professor Vedhara explained: “Cortisol is really important in regulating the normal functioning of our body, in particular it’s important in regulating how our immune system works, so you can see how levels of this hormone might be really important in determining our future physical health.

“Providing these hair samples will allow us to explore whether any stress you experience today and in the coming weeks could affect your health in the future. We will be seeking funding to measure cortisol in these samples at the end of the study.”

Once the team has collected the data, they will look at the emotional impact in the first few weeks, then consider how these effects change after 12 weeks of living with the pandemic and what happens as and when there are changes in social distancing regulations.

Recruitment to the first phase of the study is only open for the month of April so that the team can capture the early effects of the pandemic. To find out more, click here.

But what about the other factors playing into poor health?

Professor Dening said another reason may be that people don't feel able to attend their GP or hospital as they normally would have done.

"Therefore, some serious conditions may present too late for effective treatment," he said.

"Concern has been expressed by doctors working in children's emergency care that they are not currently seeing the usual range of childhood emergencies."

As for people with more serious conditions like cancer, or diabetes another possibility is that people are unable or unwilling to attend hospital causing their treatment to lapse.

Professor Dening said: "Managing conditions like unstable diabetes will be much harder remotely than with face-to-face attention.

"Or there may be people who would have been referred to specialists for assessment of potentially serious conditions, where there is now a delay in offering appointments or indeed clinics may simply have been cancelled."

Professor Dening said the lockdown itself may be breeding unhealthy behaviour.

He told PA: "Some people confined to their homes are likely to be drinking and smoking more, or eating less healthily, and this may also contribute to health problems, including accidents, around the home."

Of the 16,387 deaths registered in England and Wales during the week ending 3 April, around a fifth (3,475) mentioned "novel coronavirus".

But the ONS said there were 6,082 more deaths during that week compared to the five-year average, which raises questions about the reasons behind the remaining two and a half thousand additional deaths.

If you are struggling, you can reach out to Samaritans on 116 123 free of charge, anytime day or night.