Examining Mental Health and Economic Consequences During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Filipino Residents in Hawai‘i: May – Oct 2020

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in rapid and drastic changes to daily lives, posing a threat to residents’ mental health and well-being. Filipinos are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and have one of the highest COVID-19 prevalence in Hawai‘i. The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with a rise in mental health concerns, yet little is known about the impact on the mental health of Filipinos in Hawai‘i. Using publicly available polling data from the SMS Community Pulse Survey, this study sought to describe the mental distress experienced by Filipino residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from an online panel of Hawai‘i residents over 4 timepoints (May 5-10; June 11-17; July 31-August 8; October 19-31, 2020). Compared to non-Filipinos, a higher proportion of Filipinos reported feeling stress and sadness during 3 of the 4 timepoints. Across all timepoints, Filipinos were more likely to respond affirmatively to mental health indicators (62.5%). Similarly, Filipinos reported food insecurity in higher proportions relative to non-Filipinos in most timepoints, particularly notable in Timepoint 4 where 33.0% of Filipino respondents reported food insecurity. These findings suggest that Filipinos would benefit from social policy and community-supported initiatives to address social determinants of health, reduce chronic stress, and prevent further mental health disparities