Relationship between wealth and emotional well-being before, during, versus after a nationwide disease outbreak: a large-scale investigation of disparities in psychological vulnerability across COVID-19 pandemic phases in China

• Published in: BMJ open Vol. 11; no. 6; p. e044262
• Main Authors: Yang, Haiyang, Ma, Jingjing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group LTD 04.06.2021; BMJ Publishing Group
• Series: Original research
• Subjects: Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Emotions; Epidemics; Health Economics; Investigations; Mental health; Pandemics; Public health; China
• ISSN: 2044-6055; 2044-6055
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044262

ObjectivesThis research investigated whether certain population segments might be more psychologically vulnerable in different phases of a pandemic. Specifically, the research examined how disparities in wealth might be associated with differences in emotional well-being before, during, versus after the nationwide COVID-19 outbreak in China.Setting, participants and outcome measuresIn this large-scale cross-sectional study, three rounds of nationally representative data collection (N=27 760) were conducted immediately before (December 2019), in the midst of (February 2020), versus immediately after (April 2020) the countrywide COVID-19 outbreak in China. Participants’ emotional well-being, wealth (income, property ownership) and demographic information were measured using established instruments. Statistical analyses examined relationships between disparities in different types of wealth and emotional well-being across the pandemic phases.ResultsAlthough the onset of the coronavirus outbreak substantially degraded emotional well-being, having a higher income was associated with better emotional well-being during the outbreak. Property owners experienced a larger drop in emotional well-being during the outbreak than non-owners; however, the former was not emotionally worse off than the latter during the outbreak. After the nationwide COVID-19 outbreak had been contained and the economy reopened, those with more wealth of either type again became better off in emotional well-being than those with less. The highest income segment even experienced better emotional well-being after the end of the nationwide outbreak than prior to the outbreak. In contrast, the lowest income segment became worse off in emotional well-being after the nationwide outbreak ended than before the outbreak began.ConclusionPeople with less wealth tend to be emotionally worse off throughout the different phases of a disease outbreak. In particular, even after an outbreak has been contained, the poor are less able to restore their psychological well-being. Policies and interventions are needed to address disparities in mental health in the age of pandemics.