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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic affected mental health worldwide. Mental health is considered related to marriage or cohabitation and material hardship. This study aims to explore the associations between living with a spouse or partner, material hardships, and mental distress among New York City residents during the pandemic. It focuses specifically on the relationship between living with a spouse/a spouse or partner and the risk of mental distress, as well as the role of material hardship in this association, examined separately for men and women. Methods: This study used cross-sectional data collected between late 2020 and early 2021 from the NYC Longitudinal Survey of Wellbeing. Chi-squared tests and several groups of logistic regression models were conducted. Results: Women and those who were not living with a spouse or partner were more likely to report material hardship, and mental distress than men and those living with a spouse or partner. Several material hardships were associated with a higher risk of mental distress. Among men, the results revealed that both living with a spouse and living with a spouse or partner were associated with a lower risk of mental distress, whereas material hardship moderated these relationships. For women, only living with a spouse or partner was found to be related to a lower risk of mental distress. Conclusion: The findings may reflect inequalities for some disadvantaged groups and provide implications for designing relevant social policies or delivering social services.
Ao Shen (Thu,) studied this question.