Impact of COVID-19 across socioeconomic groups
As with most other diseases, COVID-19 disproportionately affects lower socioeconomic groups. Of the 2,639 COVID-19 deaths that occurred by 30 April 2022, there were more than 3 times as many among people living in the lowest socioeconomic areas compared with people living in the highest socioeconomic areas (1,870 and 527 deaths) (ABS 2022a). Age-standardised mortality rates were 2.8 times as high (105 and 38 per million) (AIHW 2021d).
For more information on the health impact of the pandemic, see ‘Chapter 1 The impact of a new disease: COVID-19 from 2020, 2021 and into 2022’ and ‘Chapter 2 Changes in the health of Australians during the COVID-19 period’ in Australia’s health 2022: data insights.
Where do I go for more information?
For more information on health across socioeconomic groups, see:
References
ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) (2018) Census of population and housing: Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), Australia, 2016, ABS, Australian Government, accessed 9 February 2022.
ABS (2022a) COVID-19 mortality in Australia: Deaths registered until 30 April 2022, ABS, Australian Government, accessed 27 May 2022.
ABS (2022b) Health conditions prevalence, ABS, Australian Government, accessed 21 March 2022.
AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) (2019) High blood pressure, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 9 February 2022.
AIHW (2020a) Chronic kidney disease, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 9 February 2022.
AIHW (2020b) Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 9 February 2022.
AIHW (2020c) Diabetes, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 9 February 2022.
AIHW (2020d) Insufficient physical activity, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 9 February 2022.
AIHW (2020e) National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2019, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 9 February 2022.
AIHW (2020f) Overweight and obesity: an interactive insight, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 9 February 2022.
AIHW (2021a) Australian Burden of Disease Study: impact and causes of illness and death in Australia 2018, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 9 February 2022.
AIHW (2021b) Cancer in Australia 2021, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 9 February 2022.
AIHW (2021c) Heart, stroke and vascular disease - Australian facts, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 9 February 2022.
AIHW (2021d) 'The impact of a new disease: COVID-19 from 2020, 2021 and into 2022', in Australia’s health 2022: data insights, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 27 May 2022.
AIHW (2022a) AIHW analysis of linked National Diabetes Services Scheme and Australian Paediatric Endocrine Group state-based registries, AIHW, Australian Government.
AIHW (2022b) MORT (Mortality Over Regions and Time) books: Socioeconomic group, 2016–2020, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 27 May 2022.
Mather T, Banks E, Joshy G, Bauman A, Phongsavan P and Korda RJ (2014) Variation in health inequalities according to measures of socioeconomic status and age, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 38(5):436–440, doi:10.1111/1753-6405.12239.
van Lenthe F and Mackenbach JP (2021) ‘Socioeconomic inequalities in health in high-income countries: the facts and the options’, in Detels R, Karim QA, Baum F, Li L and Leyland AH (eds) Oxford textbook of global public health, 7th edn, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
WHO (World Health Organization) (2022) Social determinants of health, WHO, accessed 17 January 2022.