Socioeconomic inequalities in mental health and well-being among higher education staff during COVID-19: the role of policymakers and psychological needs / <i>Desigualdades socioeconómicas en la salud mental y el bienestar del personal de educación s

Higher education (HE) staff experience some of the poorest mental health and well-being across occupational groups, with particularly low levels reported among staff from lower socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds. Combining Needs Theory and Ecological Systems Theory, we investigate how perceptions of policymakers may have contributed to mental health inequalities among HE workers in the United Kingdom (UK) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey of UK HE staff ( n = 1,116) from 92 universities during a ‘stay at home’ order found that lower subjective SES was linked to poorer mental health and well-being, and to the perception that policymakers were disconnected (perceived inclusion) and did not value (perceived worth) university staff. A structural equation model indicated that these perceptions of policymakers mediated the relationship between subjective SES and mental health and well-being. Greater perceived control by policymakers was also associated with poorer mental health and well-being, though unexpectedly, this effect was not linked to subjective SES. These findings suggest that perceptions of policymakers may worsen socioeconomic inequalities in mental health and well-being through unmet psychological needs.