Impact of COVID-19 on anxiety and mental well-being: a comparison between people with and without disabilities in Taiwan

This article compares disabled and non-disabled people in terms of the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on their levels of anxiety and mental well-being and their satisfaction with the government’s responses. Taiwanese disabled ( N = 324) and non-disabled ( N = 1985) citizens aged 20 or older completed a cross-sectional online survey in April 2020. During the pandemic, Taiwanese disabled citizens were more likely than their non-disabled counterparts to show lower levels of anxiety and less satisfaction with the government’s measures against the pandemic, including those related to disabled people. Regression analyses revealed that disability status, income, health and levels of satisfaction with the government’s responses were significantly associated with levels of anxiety. The findings indicate that disabled people are inured to restrictions in mobility and exclusion from society. The government’s measures against the pandemic were not exceptional but reflect a general neglect of the needs and well-being of this population.