Who is most affected by the Corona crisis? An analysis of changes in stress and well-being in Switzerland

ABSTRACT

This study analyses the consequences of the Covid-19 crisis on stress and well-being in Switzerland. In particular, we assess whether vulnerable groups in terms of social isolation, increased workload and limited socioeconomic resources are affected more than others. Using longitudinal data from the Swiss Household Panel, including a specific Covid-19 study, we estimate change score models to predict changes in perceived stress and life satisfaction at the end of the semi-lockdown in comparison to before the crisis. We find no general change in life satisfaction and a small decrease in stress. Yet, in line with our expectations, more vulnerable groups in terms of social isolation (young adults, Covid-19 risk group members, individuals without a partner), workload (women) and socioeconomic resources (unemployed and those who experienced a deteriorating financial situation) reported a decrease in life satisfaction. Stress levels decreased most strongly among high earners, workers on short-time work and the highly educated.

KEYWORDS:

• Well-being
• perceived stress
• vulnerability
• financial situation
• Switzerland
• panel data

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The population living in institutions such as old age homes are not part of the study.

2 This selection was necessary as some questions were asked only to individuals who were at least 18 years old.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ursina Kuhn

Ursina Kuhn is senior researcher with the Swiss Household Panel at the Swiss Centre of Expertise in the Social Sciences FORS. Her research focuses on economic inequalities, political behaviour and subjective well-being.

Hannah S. Klaas

Hannah S. Klaas is senior researcher with the Swiss Household Panel at the Swiss Centre of Expertise in the Social Sciences FORS and member of the health research group of LIVES - Swiss Centre of Expertise in life course research. Her research looks at interactions between mental and physical health and social context variables.

Erika Antal

Erika Antal, Statistician, is senior researcher at the Swiss Centre of Expertise in the Social Sciences FORS. Her research interests are in the field of Survey Sampling Methods and she is responsible for the weighting system of the Swiss Household Panel Survey.

Nora Dasoki

Nora Dasoki is senior researcher with the Swiss Household Panel at the Swiss Centre of Expertise in the Social Sciences FORS. Her research focuses on the autobiographical memory and on the regulation of subjective well-being in the aging process.

Florence Lebert

Florence Lebert, Sociologist, is senior Researcher with the Swiss Household Panel at the Swiss Centre of Expertise in the Social Sciences FORS. She is mainly interested in the link between family and employment with a special interest on perceived job insecurity.

Oliver Lipps

Oliver Lipps is head of the methodological research programme at the Swiss Centre of Expertise in Social Sciences, FORS, and lecturer in survey methodology and survey research at the Institute of Sociology at the University of Bern.

Gian-Andrea Monsch

Gian-Andrea Monsch is senior researcher at the Swiss Centre of Expertise in Social Sciences FORS. His research interests are tied to political science and longitudinal studies, in particular the study of political activism and socialization over time.

Jan-Erik Refle

Jan-Erik Refle is researcher at the Swiss Centre of Expertise in the Social Sciences (FORS) and Visiting Research Fellow at University of Oxford, DPIR. His research focuses on social networks and democracy.

Valérie-Anne Ryser

Valérie-Anne Ryser, Social psychologist, is senior researcher with the Swiss Household Panel at the Swiss Centre of Expertise in the Social Sciences FORS. Her research focuses on family transitions and processes of regulations in old and very old age.

Robin Tillmann

Robin Tillmann, Sociologist, is head of the Swiss Household Panel at the Swiss Centre of Expertise in Social Sciences FORS. He has published on social stratification and inequalities, poverty and insecurity, and quality of life.

Marieke Voorpostel

Marieke Voorpostel, Sociologist, is senior researcher with the Swiss Household Panel at the Swiss Centre of Expertise in the Social Sciences FORS. Her research focuses on family sociology and survey methodology.