This study used a subsample of a household panel study in Italy to track changes in mental health before the onset of COVID-19 and into the first lockdown period, from late April to early September 2020. The results of the random-effects regression analyses fitted on a sample of respondents aged 16 years and older (N = 897) proved that there was a substantial and statistically significant short-term deterioration in mental health (from 78,5 to 67,9; β = -10.5, p < .001; Cohen’s d -.445), as measured by a composite index derived from the mental component of the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12). The findings also showed heterogeneity in the COVID-related effects. On the one hand, evidence has emerged that the pandemic acted as a great leveller of pre-existing differences in mental health across people of different ages: the decrease was most pronounced among those aged 16–34 (from 84,2 to 66,5; β = -17.7, p < .001; Cohen’s d -.744); however, the magnitude of change reduced as age increased and turned to be non-significant among individuals aged 70 and over. On the other hand, the COVID-19 emergency widened the mental health gender gap and created new inequalities, based on the age of the youngest child being taken care of within the household.

Lucchini, M., Gerosa, T., Pancheva, M., Pisati, M., Respi, C., Riva, E. (2021). Differential effects of COVID-19 and containment measures on mental health: Evidence from ITA.LI-Italian Lives, the Italian household panel. PLOS ONE, 16(11) [10.1371/journal.pone.0259989].

Differential effects of COVID-19 and containment measures on mental health: Evidence from ITA.LI-Italian Lives, the Italian household panel

Lucchini, Mario;Gerosa, Tiziano;Pisati, Maurizio;Respi, Chiara;Riva, Egidio
2021

Abstract

This study used a subsample of a household panel study in Italy to track changes in mental health before the onset of COVID-19 and into the first lockdown period, from late April to early September 2020. The results of the random-effects regression analyses fitted on a sample of respondents aged 16 years and older (N = 897) proved that there was a substantial and statistically significant short-term deterioration in mental health (from 78,5 to 67,9; β = -10.5, p < .001; Cohen’s d -.445), as measured by a composite index derived from the mental component of the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12). The findings also showed heterogeneity in the COVID-related effects. On the one hand, evidence has emerged that the pandemic acted as a great leveller of pre-existing differences in mental health across people of different ages: the decrease was most pronounced among those aged 16–34 (from 84,2 to 66,5; β = -17.7, p < .001; Cohen’s d -.744); however, the magnitude of change reduced as age increased and turned to be non-significant among individuals aged 70 and over. On the other hand, the COVID-19 emergency widened the mental health gender gap and created new inequalities, based on the age of the youngest child being taken care of within the household.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
COVID-19; Mental health; Social inequality; Italy; ITA.LI-Italian Lives;
English
2021
16
11
e0259989
open
Lucchini, M., Gerosa, T., Pancheva, M., Pisati, M., Respi, C., Riva, E. (2021). Differential effects of COVID-19 and containment measures on mental health: Evidence from ITA.LI-Italian Lives, the Italian household panel. PLOS ONE, 16(11) [10.1371/journal.pone.0259989].
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