Perceived Discrimination in Australia During the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Longitudinal Study

Lomash Sood; Caroline Gurvich; Alexandra Lavale; Natalie Thomas; Jayashri Kulkarni; Elizabeth Hx Thomas

doi:10.1007/s40615-023-01798-w

Perceived Discrimination in Australia During the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Longitudinal Study

J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2023 Sep 28. doi: 10.1007/s40615-023-01798-w. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Lomash Sood¹, Caroline Gurvich¹, Alexandra Lavale¹, Natalie Thomas², Jayashri Kulkarni¹, Elizabeth Hx Thomas³

Affiliations

¹ Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Central Clinical School, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
² Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
³ Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Central Clinical School, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Elizabeth.thomas@monash.edu.

PMID: 37768538
DOI: 10.1007/s40615-023-01798-w

Abstract

Objectives: There have been global reports of increased discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic relative to the pre-pandemic era, though this has not been well explored within Australia. The aim of the study was to characterise discriminatory behaviour experienced by groups previously identified as most at risk of experiencing discrimination (i.e. those of Asian descent or healthcare workers) both from pre-pandemic to pandemic and during the pandemic era in Australia.

Methods: From April 2020 to September 2021, 1479 Australian adults completed the everyday discrimination scale (EDS). Initially, participants were asked to retrospectively consider discrimination experienced pre-COVID-19 pandemic and then to consider experiences in the past month during the pandemic. Participants were invited to repeat the latter every 2 months.

Results: Collectively, there was a reduction in EDS scores from pre-pandemic to pandemic. Within the pandemic era, mean trajectory graphs across time revealed that changes in EDS scores in the 'non-Asian healthcare workers' and 'Asian healthcare workers' subgroups tended to mirror onto fluctuations in Australian COVID-19 case numbers.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest social solidarity amongst the general Australian population during the pandemic, but still highlight a need to dedicate resources towards groups with heightened risk of experiencing discrimination during future public health threats.

Keywords: Asian; Coronavirus; Healthcare workers; Social stigma.