The relationship between financial disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic and mental health: a systematic review and meta analysis
The relationship between financial disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic and mental health: a systematic review and meta analysis
Objective: financial difficulties are associated with poor mental health. This paper aimed to systematically review the impact of COVID-19 related financial difficulties on mental health in adults.
Methods: a systematic search was conducted across Web of Science, Medline, and PsycINFO, from March 2020 to March 2023 to identify studies examining the mental health impact of COVID-19 related financial disruption in adults. We performed two meta-analyses to quantify the effect of income loss due to the pandemic on anxiety and depression. Studies were rated using the Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute was used.
Results: a total of 2659 papers were identified of which 76 (59 cross-sectional and 17 longitudinal) met inclusion criteria. The results show that COVID-19 related financial disruption (income loss and financial stress) negatively impact mental health across a range of adult populations globally, including the general population, students, and other specific groups. The meta-analyses examined data from 278,854 participants from fifteen studies indicated that those who lost income reported greater anxiety levels than those who did not experience income loss. Similarly for 268,128 participants across sixteen studies, a meta-analysis showed greater depression symptoms for those experiencing income loss.
Conclusion: COVID-related financial constraints, both objective and subjective, are associated with poor mental health outcomes (particularly anxiety and depression) in various populations around the world. The results highlight the need for targeted clinical interventions for those experiencing mental health problems linked to financial problems during global crises.
Covid, Mental health, Financial difficulties, Depression, Anxiety
Richardson, Thomas
f8d84122-b061-4322-a594-5ef2eb5cad0d
Ashworth, Samantha
f42df4fc-a779-45a5-b332-f6f11355b961
Sood, Monica
185fb97e-a111-45e1-bbe8-d865d301ef9f
McKell, Eva
64f364e7-8f8e-4efe-a43b-5da1fc580dab
Maguire, Nick
ebc88e0a-3c1e-4b3a-88ac-e1dad740011b
Smith, Dianna
4d383c69-8f5a-464e-8427-730fbc6c73e0
Alwan, Nisreen A.
0d37b320-f325-4ed3-ba51-0fe2866d5382
Richardson, Thomas
f8d84122-b061-4322-a594-5ef2eb5cad0d
Ashworth, Samantha
f42df4fc-a779-45a5-b332-f6f11355b961
Sood, Monica
185fb97e-a111-45e1-bbe8-d865d301ef9f
McKell, Eva
64f364e7-8f8e-4efe-a43b-5da1fc580dab
Maguire, Nick
ebc88e0a-3c1e-4b3a-88ac-e1dad740011b
Smith, Dianna
4d383c69-8f5a-464e-8427-730fbc6c73e0
Alwan, Nisreen A.
0d37b320-f325-4ed3-ba51-0fe2866d5382
Richardson, Thomas, Ashworth, Samantha, Sood, Monica, McKell, Eva, Maguire, Nick, Smith, Dianna and Alwan, Nisreen A.
(2025)
The relationship between financial disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic and mental health: a systematic review and meta analysis.
Journal of Public Health Research.
(In Press)
Abstract
Objective: financial difficulties are associated with poor mental health. This paper aimed to systematically review the impact of COVID-19 related financial difficulties on mental health in adults.
Methods: a systematic search was conducted across Web of Science, Medline, and PsycINFO, from March 2020 to March 2023 to identify studies examining the mental health impact of COVID-19 related financial disruption in adults. We performed two meta-analyses to quantify the effect of income loss due to the pandemic on anxiety and depression. Studies were rated using the Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute was used.
Results: a total of 2659 papers were identified of which 76 (59 cross-sectional and 17 longitudinal) met inclusion criteria. The results show that COVID-19 related financial disruption (income loss and financial stress) negatively impact mental health across a range of adult populations globally, including the general population, students, and other specific groups. The meta-analyses examined data from 278,854 participants from fifteen studies indicated that those who lost income reported greater anxiety levels than those who did not experience income loss. Similarly for 268,128 participants across sixteen studies, a meta-analysis showed greater depression symptoms for those experiencing income loss.
Conclusion: COVID-related financial constraints, both objective and subjective, are associated with poor mental health outcomes (particularly anxiety and depression) in various populations around the world. The results highlight the need for targeted clinical interventions for those experiencing mental health problems linked to financial problems during global crises.
Text
PDF under review
- Accepted Manuscript
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 21 October 2025
Keywords:
Covid, Mental health, Financial difficulties, Depression, Anxiety
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 506953
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/506953
ISSN: 2279-9036
PURE UUID: 33d7d630-3694-43ec-aeb5-81a983d4f778
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 24 Nov 2025 17:31
Last modified: 25 Nov 2025 03:04
Export record
Contributors
Author:
Samantha Ashworth
Author:
Monica Sood
Author:
Eva McKell
Author:
Dianna Smith
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics