Changes in Income and Household Spending During Early Months of COVID-19 Pandemic Reveal Racial and Ethnic Disparities Among Older Adults.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has both elucidated and exacerbated racial and ethnic disparities in the United States. Conspicuous early effects in healthcare access and direct morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19 disease revealed that, compared to White populations, Black and Hispanic communities suffered greater rates of mortality,1,2 especially among older adults.3 Preliminary findings also suggest that Black and Hispanic adults were more vulnerable to income instability and food insecurity during the pandemic.4 This study examined racial and ethnic disparities in household finances during the early period of the pandemic. Using data from a nationally representative survey, we tested the hypotheses that Black and Hispanic older adults experienced reduced income and increased household spending in the first 3 months of the pandemic.