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Life Dissatisfaction and Anxiety in COVID-19 pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Pablo de Pedraza

    (JRC European Commission and GLO)

  • Martin Guzi

    (Masaryk University, CELSI, IZA and GLO)

  • Kea Tijdens

    (AIAS University of Amsterdam and GLO)

Abstract
The rising numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths, prolonged lockdowns, substantial restrictions on public life and an economic downturn negatively affect personal well-being. In this paper, we explore COVID-19-related determinants of life dissatisfaction and feelings of anxiety using data collected from March 23 to April 30 2020 in 25 advanced and developing countries from four continents. We find that persons with better general health, with a paid job, living with a partner, daily exercising and those avoiding loneliness report less dissatisfaction and less anxiety. The presence of children and a pet in the household has no effect. Women report anxiety feelings more often than men. Older people report lower dissatisfaction and anxiety, remarkable given that the older population is among the most vulnerable in the current pandemic. Job-related changes due to COVID-19 such as income reduction and increase or decrease of workload are associated with more dissatisfaction and more anxiety. In reaction to the pandemic governments have adopted a range of measures. We show that restrictions on mobility and requirements to wear protective gear in public increase dissatisfaction and that the state-imposed emergency increase feelings of anxiety. We find that a growing number of confirmed COVID-19 cases increases dissatisfaction and anxiety but that this effect levels off with a higher number of cases. Our findings support targeted government policies to preserve economic security, and increase stability of employment.

Suggested Citation

  • Pablo de Pedraza & Martin Guzi & Kea Tijdens, 2020. "Life Dissatisfaction and Anxiety in COVID-19 pandemic," MUNI ECON Working Papers 2020-03, Masaryk University, revised Feb 2023.
    • Handle: RePEc:mub:wpaper:2020-03
    DOI: 10.5817/WP_MUNI_ECON_2020-03
    Note: License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Maja Rožman & Anita Peša & Mladen Rajko & Tjaša Štrukelj, 2021. "Building Organisational Sustainability during the COVID-19 Pandemic with an Inspiring Work Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-22, October.
    3. David N. F. Bell & David G. Blanchflower, 2021. "The U‐shape of happiness in Scotland," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 68(4), pages 407-433, September.
    4. Mathias Huebener & Sevrin Waights & C. Katharina Spiess & Nico A. Siegel & Gert G. Wagner, 2021. "Parental well-being in times of Covid-19 in Germany," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 91-122, March.
    5. Evgenia Anastasiou & Marie-Noelle Duquenne, 2021. "First-Wave COVID-19 Pandemic in Greece: The Role of Demographic, Social, and Geographical Factors in Life Satisfaction during Lockdown," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-12, May.
    6. Benjamin Harrell & Luca Fumarco & Patrick Button & David J. Schwegman & Kyla Denwood, 2023. "The Impact of COVID-19 on Access to Mental Health Care Services," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 113, pages 420-422, May.
    7. Trinh Q. Long, 2021. "Individual Subjective Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-18, July.
    8. Seema Irshad & Nurjahan Begum, 2021. "COVID-19 and its psychological impact on working parents," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 24(1), pages 389-399, October.
    9. Tim Friedhoff & Cam-Duc Au & Philippe Krahnhof, 2023. "Analysis of the Impact of Orthogonalized Brent Oil Price Shocks on the Returns of Dependent Industries in Times of the Russian War," MUNI ECON Working Papers 2023-04, Masaryk University.
    10. Pablo de Pedraza & María Rosalía Vicente, 2021. "Are Spaniards Happier When the Bars Are Open? Using Life Satisfaction to Evaluate COVID-19 Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-13, September.
    11. Lawrence M Berger & Giulia Ferrari & Marion Leturcq & Lidia Panico & Anne Solaz, 2021. "COVID-19 lockdowns and demographically-relevant Google Trends: A cross-national analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(3), pages 1-28, March.
    12. Ferdi Botha & John P. de New, 2020. "COVID-19 infections, labour market shocks, and subjective well-being," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2020n14, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    13. Ahlheim, Michael & Kim, In Woo & Vuong, Duy Thanh, 2022. "The return of happiness: Resilience in times of pandemic," Hohenheim Discussion Papers in Business, Economics and Social Sciences 03-2022, University of Hohenheim, Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences.
    14. Bettina Siflinger & Michaela Paffenholz & Sebastian Seitz & Moritz Mendel & Hans-Martin von Gaudecker, 2021. "The COVID-19 Pandemic and Mental Health: Disentangling Crucial Channels," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2021_271, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    15. David G. Blanchflower & Carol L. Graham, 2022. "The Mid-Life Dip in Well-Being: a Critique," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 161(1), pages 287-344, May.
    16. Aassve,Arnstein & Capezzone,Tommaso & Cavalli,Nicolo’ & Conzo,Pierluigi & Peng,Chen, 2022. "Trust in the time of coronavirus: longitudinal evidence from the United States," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 202203, University of Turin.
    17. Antonio Chirumbolo & Antonino Callea & Flavio Urbini, 2022. "Living in Liquid Times: The Relationships among Job Insecurity, Life Uncertainty, and Psychosocial Well-Being," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-20, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Covid-19; life dissatisfaction; anxiety; public policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • P51 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Comparative Economic Systems - - - Comparative Analysis of Economic Systems
    • D6 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics

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