The impact of the COVID- 19 pandemic on women’s mental health: empirical evidence from Vietnam

Abstract

Background: Women’s mental health has emerged as a growing concern amid the COVID- 19 as studies show women are more likely to suffer symptoms of depression and anxiety than men. Social and economic disadvantages are believed to correlate with women’s mental health during the pandemic. However, studies mainly show the prevalence of mental health problems among women during COVID- 19 across the globe while the covariates are not extensively reported. Moreover, the literature on mental health is believed to be overlooked in the developing countries. Objective: This study aims to investigate women’s mental health in Vietnam under the context of COVID- 19. Methods: This study used a novel data set from our survey of women located in five provinces and cities in Vietnam. The study sample included 519 observations. Women’s mental health is measured by WHO- 5 and OECD- 7, these two inventories are designed to measure the subjective wellbeing of respondents. Our research utilized correlational analysis to explore the connections between women’s mental wellbeing and their social and economic characteristics. Results: Results indicate statistically significant associations between women’s mental wellbeing and their personal characteristics such as education level, employment status, income, age, number of children, marital status, and household appliances. Conclusion: Policymakers should prioritize policies to encourage women to upgrade their education and skills should receive more attention from policymakers, and attention should be particularly placed on women in the vulnerable age groups for the prevention or mitigation of psychological effects from social and economic shocks. As a preventive measure for mental health problems, it is essential to popularize knowledge on mental health and how to cope with the related issues. Also, nationwide data on people’s mental health should be collected regularly to facilitate more studies to provide insights into mental health issues.