The gender gap in mental well-being during the Covid-19 outbreak: evidence from the UK

Publication type

ISER Working Paper Series

Series Number

2020-08

Series

ISER Working Paper Series

Authors

Publication date

June 8, 2020

Abstract:

We document a decline in mental well-being after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK. This decline is twice as large for women as for men. We seek to explain this gender gap by exploring gender differences in: family and caring responsibilities; financial and work situation; social engagement; health situation, and health behaviours, including exercise. Differences in family and caring responsibilities play some role, but the bulk of the gap is explained by social factors. Women reported more close friends before the pandemic than men, and increased loneliness after the pandemic's onset. Other factors are similarly distributed across genders and so play little role. Finally, we document larger declines in well-being for the young, of both genders, than the old.

Subjects

Notes

Is referenced by: Public Health England. (2020) 'COVID-19: mental health and wellbeing surveillance report'. London: Public Health England ; Suleman, M., Sonthalia, S., Webb, C., Tinson, A., Kane, M., Bunbury, S., … Bibby, J. (2021) 'Unequal pandemic, fairer recovery. The COVID-19 impact inquiry report'. London: The Health Foundation.

PLEASE CITE AS: Etheridge, B. and Spantig, L. (2022) 'The gender gap in mental well-being at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic: evidence from the UK', European Economic Review, 145:104114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroecorev.2022.104114

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