Health and wellbeing

Abstract

This chapter uses data from the Evidence for Equality National Survey (EVENS) to document the health and wellbeing of people from different ethnic groups in the UK. We focus on a range of physical and mental health outcomes, as well as indicators of wellbeing and access to services. We explore physical health by observing rates of multimorbidity, whereas mental health is examined using standardised measures of depression and anxiety. Relatedly, differences across ethnic groups in levels of loneliness are explored, including whether individuals’ levels of loneliness increased during the pandemic. We also analyse ethnic differences in experiencing COVID-19 infection and bereavement during the pandemic. Finally, we present figures on ethnic inequalities in access to health services during the pandemic. The resulting picture is that people from ethnic minority groups in the UK face poorer physical health outcomes than the White British group, including greater risk of COVID-19 infection and COVID-related bereavement. However, people from ethnic minority groups generally fared better than those in the White British group in relation to mental health.