Keyworkers’ Mental Health during the COVID-19 Infection Peaks: Mapping the Role of Gender and Sector Differences

Abstract This study investigates the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on key workers in the UK, with a focus on gender and sectoral differences. Utilising longitudinal data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS) and its COVID-19 survey, I analyse mental health outcomes during three key infection peaks: May 2020, November 2020, and January 2021. Keyworkers faced heightened exposure to the virus and increased work demands compared to non-keyworkers, with significant implications for their mental health. I employ fixed-effects models to account for pre-pandemic mental health baselines, offering a more nuanced understanding of the psychological toll. My findings reveal stronger associations between keyworker status and mental health decline compared to non-keyworkers, particularly during the pandemic’s second peak. Gender disparities were also evident, with female keyworkers reporting stronger associations with distress, exacerbated by increased domestic responsibilities. Sectoral analysis shows that health and social care workers, although at the forefront of the pandemic response, had slightly weaker associations with psychological morbidity compared to those in other key sectors like transportation and retail, due to greater institutional support. These findings highlight the need for tailored mental health interventions for keyworkers, particularly women and those in under-resourced sectors, to mitigate the adverse effects of future pandemics.