Impact of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical mitigation measures on the multi-ethnic population health
Populations with a migration background and lower educational/occupational groups were more vulnerable to negative changes related to mental health, income, healthy behavior (i.e. diet, tobacco, alcohol use) and access to non-COVID-19 healthcare during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
These populations were also at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 outcomes, partly due to their lower socio-economic status and higher likelihood of pre-existing medical conditions such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
Goal
We will explore the following goals:
- Whether these negative trends have continued through the later phases of the pandemic and beyond.
- The relationship between the stringency of the non-medical COVID-19 mitigation measures and mental health, cardiovascular disease risk, employment status, income and health care use within ethnic and occupational groups.
- To what extent COVID-19 preventive behavior, such as keeping a distance of 1.5 meters, is related to these life domains within ethnic and professional groups.
Approach
We will investigate our goals in the prospective cohort study HELIUS. HELIUS investigates causes of potential inequality between different population groups in the areas of cardiovascular disease, mental health and infectious diseases among six major ethnic groups in Amsterdam (Dutch, African-Surinamese, South Asian Surinamese, Ghanaian, Turkish and Moroccan). HELIUS data was collected prior to- and during the pandemic and includes data on perceptual factors, behavior and adherence to non-medical COVID-19 measures. Data from HELIUS participants will be linked to health registry data from the pre-pandemic (2019-February 2020), pandemic (February 2020-March 2023 and post-pandemic (> March 2023) periods.
Collaboration partners
HELIUS participants, healthcare professionals and public health policy makers are key stakeholders in this project. To get a broad picture of the impact of the restrictive measures in the different population groups, we will include participant representatives from HELIUS, representatives of general practitioners, specialists and healthcare policy makers. To involve the broader group of HELIUS participants, we join initiatives that already exist, such as participant meetings.
(Expected) Results
Our results will serve as a basis for pandemic preparedness and guide public health programs tailored to the needs of specific groups, such as people with and without migrant background and people with lower educational/occupational levels, in future pandemics. We expect that our results can help weigh the pros and cons of implementing similar prevention measures in future pandemics. Our results will also inform studies evaluating the cost-effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical mitigation measures for COVID-19.