Journal article

Associations between ongoing COVID-19 lockdown and the financial and mental health experiences of Australian families

Anna MH Price, Diana Contreras-Suarez, Anna Zhu, Natalie Schreurs, Mary-Anne Measey, Sue Woolfenden, Jade Burley, Hannah Bryson, Daryl Efron, Anthea Rhodes, Sharon Goldfeld

Australian Journal of Social Issues | Wiley | Published : 2023

Abstract

In 2020, Australia's successful COVID-19 public health restrictions comprised a national “initial lockdown” (March–May) and “ongoing lockdown” (July–November) for metropolitan Victorian residents only. We evaluated associations between ongoing lockdown and family finances and mental health. In the June and September 2020 Royal Children's Hospital National Child Health Polls, caregivers of children in Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) reported the following: job/income loss; material deprivation (inability to pay for essential items); income poverty; mental health (Kessler-6); perceived impact on caregiver/child mental health; and caregiver/child coping. Data from caregivers (N = 1207/902) i..

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Grants

Awarded by Helen Macpherson Smith Trust


Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council


Funding Acknowledgements

Helen Macpherson Smith Trust, Grant/Award Number: 9523; Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research; National Health and Medical Research Council, Grant/Award Numbers: 1158954, 1155290; The Corella Fund; The Erdi Foundation; The Royal Children's Hospital Foundation; University of NSW, Population Child Health Group; Victorian Government's Operational Infrastructure Support Program