Financial, Social, and Health Impacts from the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from the Healthy Chicago Survey

Background: This study examines self-reported impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic among Chicago residents and disparities of these impacts across demographic characteristics. Six logistic regression models were developed to identify demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with each COVID-19 impact. Method: The study used de-identified and weighted data from the 2020 Healthy Chicago Survey (HCS). HCS is an annual survey using an address-based random sampling method administered by the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) across the city of Chicago on adults aged 18 or older living between July 17 and November 11, 2020, and received 4517 responses. Results: Chicago residents with lower socioeconomic status had a higher likelihood of food and housing insecurity. Non-Hispanic (NH) Black residents were more likely to report being unable to obtain food (OR: 2.996; 95% CI: 2.268–2.324); being unable to pay for rent, mortgage, or bills (OR: 2.352; 95% CI: 2.325–2.380); and grief from a loss of someone to COVID-19 (OR: 2.037; 95% CI: 2.013–2.061) compared to NH White residents. NH White residents were more likely than other racial/ethnic groups to report loss of social connections, worsened mental health, and canceling or postponing medical care. Conclusions: The analysis showed higher odds of social contact loss and worsened mental health from COVID-19 in NH White and higher education populations. By implementing strategies to address specific challenges faced by different racial groups, Chicago may effectively mitigate pandemic’s adverse effects. These strategies can promote a more inclusive approach to distributing COVID investments for programs and policies.