A student at the University of Plymouth is seeking help from the UK recreational scuba diving community.
Recreational scuba divers about to explore the waters off the Isle of Man | Image Credit: Rosemary E Lunn
Dr Tina Spence, a qualified doctor / GP trainee is looking into the affects of Covid-19 as part of her Master's programme. During the process, she will be working closely with DDRC Healthcare. The 'Diving Diseases Research Centre' is also based in Plymouth, Devon.
All UK divers are invited to help with this research, even if you have never had Covid-19. Tina Spence, University of Plymouth
Spence would like to know how Covid-19, and the subsequent lockdowns, have impacted on your participation of recreational diving. In this instance, 'recreational diving' is defined as any 'fun' dive that is not for work, ie military, scientific, media or commercial. UK technical divers are therefore encouraged to also contribute their experiences.
The Research
We all know that Covid-19 has had a huge impact on the UK and the world. However, there is currently limited anonymous field data around divers participation in recreational diving during the pandemic.
You will be asked about your opinions and diving practices - your views and experiences are what this project is interested in exploring. Tina Spence, University of Plymouth
Information being sought include
- To understand how the pandemic has affected the UK's recreational diving community
- To understand diver's attitudes to associated risks throughout the pandemic
- To benchmark the normal diving habits across the UK prior to Covid-19
If you are a UK diver, please include any diving you have done in the UK or overseas.
Fact file
The survey is completely anonymous and will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. It it hoped it will provide important information about diving habits before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
