Financial hardship and psychological distress during and after COVID-19 lockdowns in Victoria, Australia: a secondary data analysis of four repeated state-wide surveys

The data from this study confirmed a significant increase in the proportion of individuals facing financial hardship among the adult population in Victoria from the first to the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study does not ascertain a longitudinal effect of financial hardship on psychological distress during the pandemic. Further research is warranted to confirm this finding.