Long-term effects of COVID-19 on time allocation, travel behavior, and shopping habits in the United States

Abstract

BackgroundExtensive research explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our daily life. Nevertheless, few of them examined its long-term effects which are more complex and profound. Within this context, we investigate the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals' time allocation, travel behavior, and purchasing habits based on the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) datasets from 2019 to 2022, covering both the pre-epidemic stage and the post-vaccination era. MethodsSpecifically, this study considers activity and travel durations and frequencies, as well as a fragmentation indicator, the travel time ratio (TTR), and the Gini index of travel modes, to determine if COVID-19 altered our daily schedules with possibly long term impacts on daily behavior. Results and conclusionThe results indicate that Americans were less active participating in outdoor activities or traveling during the pandemic and did not revert to pre-pandemic levels in 2022. Additionally, comparing the post-vaccination period to the pre-pandemic period, participants devoted more time to active transportation (such as walking and bicycling), and public transportation. Meanwhile, the duration of online purchases in United States (US) increased. Unlike previous studies that primarily focused on a single aspect in a single year, our analysis provides a more comprehensive framework for better understanding the long-term effects of COVID-19.