Association between economic wellbeing and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and remoteness during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to explore the association between economic wellbeing and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and remoteness during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study via SurveyMonkey was conducted in Australia between August 2020 and October 2020. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: A total of 1211 individuals responded to the survey. Income loss was significantly associated with those from low socioeconomic status (OR = 1.65; 95% CI 1.01-2.68). Access of superannuation was significantly associated with those in outer regional (OR = 3.61; 95% CI 0.81-16.03) and low socioeconomic status (OR = 2.72; 95% CI 1.34-5.53). Financial inability to pay for services was significantly associated with living in remote areas (OR = 2.26; 95% CI 0.88-5.80). CONCLUSIONS: The economic wellbeing of people who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, live in regional or remote areas, and reside in low socioeconomic areas have been substantially impacted during the pandemic. Findings call for policies to address the underlying social determinants of health.