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Economic hardship and mental health complaints during COVID-19

Author

Listed:
  • Dirk Witteveen

    (Nuffield College, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 1NF, United Kingdom)

  • Eva Velthorst

    (Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029; Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029)

Abstract

The COVID-19 economic crash is idiosyncratic because of its virtual standstill of economic activity. We therefore ask how individual labor market experiences are related to the development of mental health complaints in the spring of 2020. As clinical data collection was compromised during the lockdowns, standardized surveys of the European labor force provide an opportunity to observe mental health complaints as the crisis unfolded. Data are representative of active members of the labor force of six European nations that contained varying levels of COVID-19 burdens in terms of mortality and lockdown measures. We document a steep occupational prestige level gradient on the probability of facing economic hardship during the lockdowns—looming job loss, income loss, and workload decline—which evidently exacerbate socioeconomic inequalities. Analyses indicate a striking positive relationship between instantaneous economic hardships during the COVID-19 lockdown and expressing feelings of depression and health anxiety. Importantly, the magnitude of the association between such hardships and indicators of mental health deterioration is highly dependent on workers’ occupational standing, revealing a second layer of exacerbating inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • Dirk Witteveen & Eva Velthorst, 2020. "Economic hardship and mental health complaints during COVID-19," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 117(44), pages 27277-27284, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nas:journl:v:117:y:2020:p:27277-27284
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    RePEc Biblio mentions

    As found on the RePEc Biblio, the curated bibliography for Economics:
    1. > Economics of Welfare > Health Economics > Economics of Pandemics > Specific pandemics > Covid-19 > Behavioral issues

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    Cited by:

    1. Ji-Hee Haam & Yang-Im Hur & Young-Sang Kim & Kyoung-Kon Kim & Jee-Hyun Kang & Hae-Jin Ko & Yoon Jeong Cho & Hye-In Choi & Kyu Rae Lee & Jung Ha Park & Soo Hyun Cho & Jong-Koo Kim & Taesic Lee & Myung-, 2022. "Fatty Liver Change in Korean Adults in a Systematic Social Distancing System Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multicenter Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-11, August.
    2. Foliano, Francesca & Tonei, Valentina & Sevilla, Almudena, 2024. "Social restrictions, leisure and well-being," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    3. Nathaniel Geiger & Anagha Gore & Claire V. Squire & Shahzeen Z. Attari, 2021. "Investigating similarities and differences in individual reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 167(1), pages 1-20, July.
    4. Yirui Ma & Jie Deng & Qiao Liu & Min Du & Min Liu & Jue Liu, 2022. "Long-Term Consequences of COVID-19 at 6 Months and Above: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-16, June.
    5. Wang, Wei & Miao, Wei & Liu, Yongdong & Deng, Yiting & Cao, Yunfei, 2022. "The impact of COVID-19 on the ride-sharing industry and its recovery: Causal evidence from China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 128-141.
    6. Borisova, Ekaterina & Ivanov, Denis, 2021. "Covid-19 vaccine efficacy and Russian public support for anti-pandemic measures," BOFIT Discussion Papers 09/2021, Bank of Finland, Institute for Economies in Transition.
    7. Pablo de Pedraza & María Rosalía Vicente, 2021. "Are Spaniards Happier When the Bars Are Open? Using Life Satisfaction to Evaluate COVID-19 Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-13, September.
    8. Hardy, Morgan & Kagy, Gisella & Demeke, Eyoual & Witte, Marc & Meyer, Christian Johannes, 2024. "The impact of firm downsizing on workers: Evidence from Ethiopia’s ready-made garment industry," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    9. Bau, Natalie & Khanna, Gaurav & Low, Corinne & Shah, Manisha & Sharmin, Sreyashi & Voena, Alessandra, 2022. "Women’s well-being during a pandemic and its containment," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    10. Dagorn, Etienne & Dattilo, Martina & Pourieux, Matthieu, 2024. "The role of populations’ behavioral traits in policy-making during a global crisis: Worldwide evidence," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    11. Ourania Tzoraki & Svetlana Dimitrova & Marin Barzakov & Saad Yaseen & Vasilis Gavalas & Hani Harb & Abas Haidari & Brian P. Cahill & Alexandra Ćulibrk & Ekaterini Nikolarea & Eleni Andrianopulu & Miro, 2021. "The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Working Conditions, Employment, Career Development and Well-Being of Refugee Researchers," Societies, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-13, July.
    12. Nazeem Muhajarine & Daniel A Adeyinka & Jessica McCutcheon & Kathryn L Green & Miles Fahlman & Natalie Kallio, 2021. "COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and refusal and associated factors in an adult population in Saskatchewan, Canada: Evidence from predictive modelling," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(11), pages 1-18, November.
    13. Engzell, Per & Frey, Arun & Verhagen, Mark D., 2020. "Learning Inequality During the Covid-19 Pandemic," SocArXiv ve4z7, Center for Open Science.
    14. Carlota de Miquel & Joan Domènech-Abella & Mireia Felez-Nobrega & Paula Cristóbal-Narváez & Philippe Mortier & Gemma Vilagut & Jordi Alonso & Beatriz Olaya & Josep Maria Haro, 2022. "The Mental Health of Employees with Job Loss and Income Loss during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Mediating Role of Perceived Financial Stress," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-14, March.
    15. Tucker, Reginald & Zuo, Lu & Marino, Louis D. & Lowman, Graham H. & Sleptsov, Alexander, 2021. "ADHD and entrepreneurship: Beyond person-entrepreneurship fit," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 15(C).
    16. Michèle Belot & Syngjoo Choi & Egon Tripodi & Eline van den Broek-Altenburg & Julian C. Jamison & Nicholas W. Papageorge, 2021. "Unequal consequences of Covid 19: representative evidence from six countries," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 769-783, September.
    17. Lea Ellwardt & Patrick Präg, 2021. "Heterogeneous Mental Health Development During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Kingdom," Working Papers 2021-07, Center for Research in Economics and Statistics.
    18. Aretz, Benjamin, 2022. "The short- and long-term effects of the Great Recession on late-life depression in Europe: The role of area deprivation," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 294(C).
    19. Bertogg, Ariane & Koos, Sebastian, 2021. "Changes of Social Networks during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Who is affected and what are its Consequences for Psychological Strain?," Working Papers 07, University of Konstanz, Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality. Perceptions, Participation and Policies".
    20. Barili, Emilia & Grembi, Veronica & Rosso, Anna C., 2023. "Mental health between present issues and future expectations," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 42-48.
    21. Freund, Richard & Favara, Marta & Porter, Catherine & Scott, Douglas & Thuc, Duc Le, 2022. "The Mental Cost of Job Loss: Assessing the Impact on Young Adults in Vietnam," IZA Discussion Papers 15522, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    22. repec:zbw:bofitp:2021_009 is not listed on IDEAS
    23. Weziak-Bialowolska, Dorota & Lee, Matthew T. & Cowden, Richard G. & Bialowolski, Piotr & Chen, Ying & VanderWeele, Tyler J. & McNeely, Eileen, 2023. "Psychological caring climate at work, mental health, well-being, and work-related outcomes: Evidence from a longitudinal study and health insurance data," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 323(C).

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