Mental and social wellbeing trajectory during the pandemic for vulnerable populations

• Published in: Frontiers in public health Vol. 12; p. 1337401
• Main Authors: Joyce, Andrew, Tran, Thach, Stocker, Ruby, Fisher, Jane
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Media S.A 08.04.2024
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Australia - epidemiology; Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples; coronavirus restrictions; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - psychology; Disabled Persons - psychology; Disabled Persons - statistics & numerical data; Female; Humans; Male; mental health; Mental Health - statistics & numerical data; Middle Aged; Pandemics; Personal Satisfaction; Psychological Distress; Public Health; social connectedness; Surveys and Questionnaires; vulnerable populations; Vulnerable Populations - psychology; Vulnerable Populations - statistics & numerical data; wellbeing trajectory; Young Adult; Australia; wellbeing trajectory; social connectedness; vulnerable populations; coronavirus restrictions; mental health
• ISSN: 2296-2565; 2296-2565
• DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1337401

We investigated changes over time in mental and social wellbeing indicators for vulnerable population subgroups during the pandemic. These groups were younger people, people with disabilities, low-income groups, unemployed, culturally, and linguistically diverse communities (CaLD), and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. A series of four repeated population representative surveys were conducted in June 2020, September 2020, January 2022, and June 2022. Questions included items on psychological distress, financial hardship, social connection, and life satisfaction. For most groups, social connection and life satisfaction improved in 2022 relative to 2020. Psychological distress and financial hardship showed the opposite pattern, with some groups having worse results in 2022 relative to 2020. People without any vulnerability had better mental health and social wellbeing outcomes at each time point relative to the vulnerable population subgroups. Pandemic-related policies had differential effects over time and for different population groups. Future policies and research need to closely monitor how they impact population subgroups, and the overall results clearly demonstrate the inequity in mental health and social wellbeing outcomes for vulnerable population cohorts.