A health impact assessment of gender inequities associated with psychological distress during COVID19 in Australia’s most locked down state—Victoria

Abstract

Abstract Background Since March 2020, when the COVID19 pandemic hit Australia, Victoria has been in lockdown six times for 264 days, making it the world’s longest cumulative locked-down city. This Health Impact Assessment evaluated gender disparities, especially women’s mental health, represented by increased levels of psychological distress during the lockdowns. Methods A desk-based, retrospective Health Impact Assessment was undertaken to explore the health impacts of the lockdown public health directive with an equity focus, on the Victorian population, through reviewing available qualitative and quantitative published studies and grey literature. Results Findings from the assessment suggest the lockdown policies generated and perpetuated avoidable inequities harming mental health demonstrated through increased psychological distress, particularly for women, through psychosocial determinants. Conclusion Ongoing research is needed to elucidate these inequities further. Governments implementing policies to suppress and mitigate COVID19 need to consider how to reduce harmful consequences of these strategies to avoid further generating inequities towards vulnerable groups within the population and increasing inequalities in the broader society.