Heterogenous effects of LPM-IV.

Millions of Americans experienced a sudden loss of income along with hunger early in the COVID-19 outbreak. Using Household Pulse Survey data from April 23, 2020 to March 29, 2021, we find the pandemic significantly impacted both food sufficiency and mental health, with food insufficiency having a larger negative impact on mental health than income loss. We do not find a statistically significant effect of unemployment on mental health. These findings were confirmed in various sensitivity analysis. We also discover heterogeneous effects of food insufficiency, unemployment, and income loss on mental health across different socioeconomic groups. Larger effects of food insufficiency were found in mortgage paying-households, among males, and in non-metro areas, and larger effects of income loss were found in rent paying-households, among females, and in non-metro areas. These results indicate the need for effective and timely policies targeting disadvantaged groups to maintain or improve their mental well-being, as well as food sufficiency, during future economic crises and public health emergencies.

新冠疫情暴发初期，数百万美国民众遭遇了收入骤减与粮食短缺的双重困境。本研究采用2020年4月23日至2021年3月29日的家庭脉搏调查（Household Pulse Survey）数据，分析发现新冠疫情对粮食充足率与心理健康均造成显著负面影响，其中粮食不足对心理健康的负面冲击大于收入损失。本研究未发现失业对心理健康存在统计学意义上的显著影响，上述结论经多组敏感性分析验证，结果稳健。此外，本研究还发现粮食不足、失业与收入损失对心理健康的影响在不同社会经济群体中存在异质性：粮食不足的负面影响在偿还房贷家庭、男性群体及非都市区更为显著；收入损失的负面影响则在租房家庭、女性群体及非都市区更为突出。上述结果表明，在未来的经济危机与公共卫生突发事件中，需制定针对弱势群体的及时有效政策，以维持或改善其心理健康福祉与粮食充足状况。