Negative Employment Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Psychological Distress: Evidence From a Nationally Representative Survey in the U.S.

Objective: We examined associations of negative employment changes during the COVID-19 pandemic with mental health in a national sample of U.S. workers, and whether the associations differed by race. Methods: Data were from the Health, Ethnicity, and Pandemic Study, a cross-sectional survey. The effects of negative employment changes on psychological distress in 1510 workers were examined via linear regression, and stratified analyses were conducted across racial subgroups. Results: After adjustment for covariates, compared to workers with no change in employment, those who experienced permanent job loss had the highest psychological distress (β and 95% CI ¼ 3.27 [1.89, 4.65]). Permanent job loss had the greatest effect on psychological distress in Blacks and Asians. Conclusion: Negative employment changes related to the pandemic may have deleterious impacts on workers’ mental health, with disproportionate effects on racial minorities.