Dataset Information

Inequalities in the distribution of COVID-19-related financial difficulties for Australian families with young children.

ABSTRACT:

Background

We examine (1) the frequency of financial difficulties in Australian families with young children (0-8 years) in the early and later phases of the pandemic; (2) the extent to which parents' pre-pandemic socio-economic disadvantage (SED) predicted financial difficulties; and (3) whether grandparent intergenerational SED further amplified this risk.

Method

Data: Australian Temperament Project (ATP; established 1983, N = 2443) and ATP Generation 3 study (ATPG3; established 2012; N = 702), of which 74% (N = 553) completed a COVID-specific module in the early (May-September 2020) and/or later (October-December 2021) phases of the pandemic.

Outcomes

Parent-reported loss of employment/reduced income, difficulty paying for essentials, and financial strain.

Exposures

Pre-pandemic parent and grandparent education and occupation.

Analysis

Logistic regressions, estimated via generalized estimating equations, were used to examine associations between the pre-pandemic SED of parents and grandparents and their interaction with financial difficulties, adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

At both pandemic time points, a third of parents reported adverse financial impacts (early: 34%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 30-38; later: 32%, 95% CI = 28-36). Each standard deviation increase in the parents' pre-pandemic SED was associated with a 36% increase in the odds of reporting multiple financial difficulties (odds ratio [OR] = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.04-1.78). There was little evidence of an interaction between the SED of parents and grandparents.

Conclusions

Financial impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic were common and, irrespective of grandparent SED, disproportionately borne by parents with higher pre-pandemic SED. Given the well-established relationship between disadvantage and child health and development, sustained and well-targeted government supports will be critical to minimizing adverse impacts in years to come.

SUBMITTER: O'Connor M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9111372 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Inequalities in the distribution of COVID-19-related financial difficulties for Australian families with young children.

O'Connor Meredith M Greenwood Christopher J CJ Letcher Primrose P Giallo Rebecca R Priest Naomi N Goldfeld Sharon S Hope Steven S Edwards Ben B Olsson Craig A CA

Child: care, health and development 20220413 6

<h4>Background</h4>We examine (1) the frequency of financial difficulties in Australian families with young children (0-8 years) in the early and later phases of the pandemic; (2) the extent to which parents' pre-pandemic socio-economic disadvantage (SED) predicted financial difficulties; and (3) whether grandparent intergenerational SED further amplified this risk.<h4>Method</h4>Data: Australian Temperament Project (ATP; established 1983, N = 2443) and ATP Generation 3 study (ATPG3; established ...[more]

PMID: 35373368

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Dataset Information

Inequalities in the distribution of COVID-19-related financial difficulties for Australian families with young children.

Background

Method

Outcomes

Exposures

Analysis

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Inequalities in the distribution of COVID-19-related financial difficulties for Australian families with young children.

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