Gender Survey Finds COVID-19 Pandemic Has Affected Women’s Mental Health More

Besides ruining economies and livelihoods across the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a heavy toll on people’s physical and mental health.

Stress was never in short supply, but this global pandemic has added to the youth as well as older generation’s anxieties and frustrations.

In terms of a gender analysis, the pandemic has impacted men and women differently. The 7th Fold Gender Survey 2020 has revealed that women have been affected more by COVID-19.

According to the survey, 49% of women have reported facing anxiety and 46% tiredness, as against 29% for men on both counts.

About 44% of women said their mental well-being had been impacted by the pandemic while only 32% of men felt likewise.

Other notable gender differences were seen in following areas:

* Binge eating — 26% for women, 14% for men

* Difficulty in sleeping — 32% for women, 23% for men

* Concern about one’s own and family’s mental well-being — 31% for women, 22% for men

* Work/life balance disturbance — 34% for women, 22% for men

* Concern over being laid off – 9% for women, 19% for men

The survey, conducted in July and August, covered respondents across metros, cities and diverse sectors.

“It is a well-known fact that physical and mental well-being are correlated. One cannot be managed at the expense of the other. The work-from-home concept due to COVID-19 was literally adopted overnight by employers creating a whole new set of challenges for employees across genders,” said 7th Fold founder and chief executive Hamsaz Wadhwani.

“Organisations need to have women-centric work-life balance workshops and women-centric webinars to address their emotional well-being. Finally, they need to invest in the holistic well-being of all employees with health initiatives that directly impact organizational productivity and revenues,” he added.