BACKGROUND: In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, daily life was significantly restricted due to the containment measures of the initial lockdown while SARS-CoV‑2 incidences remained relatively low. This study analyses socio-demographic and socio-economic groups in terms of changes in their subjective health during this phase.
METHODS: Data from the Socio-Economic Panel (n = 14,856, March-July 2020) were used to estimate the relative frequency of self-reported good health, great worries about one's own health, and high life satisfaction of men and women stratified by age, education, income, migration history, pre-existing medical conditions, and high-risk occupation. The results were mutually adjusted using logistic regression, displayed on a monthly basis, and compared with the pre-pandemic period.
RESULTS: Individuals of higher age, with lower education or income, and with pre-existing medical conditions reported positive health outcomes less frequently and worries more often. The differences between the subgroups remained largely stable compared to the pre-pandemic period. During the period of strongest restrictions due to infection-control measures, good health was reported less frequently by individuals with lower education or income compared to individuals with higher education or income.
DISCUSSION: The impact of the early phase of the pandemic on subjective health and life satisfaction was low for the majority of the examined groups. Relative impairments were only identified for women in low socio-economic positions.
