Mental health inequalities increase as a function of COVID-19 pandemic severity levels

Highlights

• Are mental health inequalities greater in countries where COVID-19 is more severe?

• We examined this question in a large global sample (N = 11,227).

• Income, gender and age were all risk factors for worse mental health.

• Mental health disparities were larger in countries with higher pandemic severity.

Abstract

Rationale

Current evidence suggests that mental health across the globe has suffered significantly during the COVID-19 global pandemic, and that disadvantaged communities are suffering these impacts more acutely. Lower income, female gender, and younger age have all been associated with worse psychopathology during COVID-19.

Objective and methods

The goal of this study was to determine whether these disparities are more pronounced in places where the pandemic is more severe. We analyzed self-report data and objective metrics from a large global sample (N = 11,227) in order to test the hypothesis that country-level severity of COVID-19 moderates the relationship between the target demographic variables (Subjective SES, gender and age) and psychopathology indicators.

Results

Severity of the pandemic emerged as a significant moderator of the relationship between these demographic variables and mental health outcomes. This pattern was extremely consistent for Subjective SES and gender, but slightly more nuanced for age.

Conclusion

Overall, we interpreted our data as suggesting that mental health disparities are greater in countries with more severe COVID-19 outbreaks. These findings are critical for understanding the ways that the ongoing pandemic is affecting global mental health, and contribute to the broader literature surrounding collective trauma.