Psychosocial and vocational impacts of COVID-19 on people with and without disabilities

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to devastating economic impacts and psychosocial changes for individuals around the world, including people with chronic illness and disabilities (CID). This study explored the impacts on employment and how it related to stress and satisfaction with life during COVID-19 between people with and without CID.

A cross-sectional study design was used with 1,380 adults from 20 countries who were employed before the COVID-19 pandemic, including 318 people with CID. Statistical methods (i.e., descriptive statistics, chi-square analyses, two-way analysis of variances) were used to analyze the time, employment, group, and interaction effects.

There were three main findings. (1) Compared with those without CID, individuals with CID were more likely to have their employment impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and they were more often laid off or dismissed from their job. (2) Individuals with CID reported significantly higher stress and lower life satisfaction compared with those without CID during the COVID-19 pandemic regardless of its impacts on employment. (3) Individuals whose employment was impacted reported significantly lower life satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic regardless of their CID status.

Findings highlight the employment and psychosocial impacts of a global pandemic and provide implications for moving forward in regards to vocational and psychosocial intervention services and supports that will be needed, especially for those with CID. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).