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Women Suffered More Emotional and Life Distress than Men during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Pathogen Disgust Sensitivity

Author

Listed:
  • Yi Ding

    (School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 201097, China)

  • Jie Yang

    (School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 201097, China)

  • Tingting Ji

    (School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 201097, China)

  • Yongyu Guo

    (School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 201097, China)

Abstract

The outbreak of the COVID-19 has brought upon unprecedented challenges to nearly all people around the globe. Yet, people may differ in their risks of social, economic, and health well-being. In this research, we take a gender-difference approach to examine whether and why women suffered greater emotional and life distress than men at the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak in China. Using a large nationwide Chinese sample, we found that compared to men, women reported higher levels of anxiety and fear, as well as greater life disturbance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Importantly, that women suffered more was partly explained by their higher level of pathogen disgust sensitivity. Our findings highlight the important consequences of gender differences in response to the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic and suggest that policymakers pay more attention to gender inequalities regarding COVID-19 responses.

Suggested Citation

  • Yi Ding & Jie Yang & Tingting Ji & Yongyu Guo, 2021. "Women Suffered More Emotional and Life Distress than Men during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Pathogen Disgust Sensitivity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-9, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:16:p:8539-:d:613393
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Yi Ding & Tingting Ji & Yongyu Guo, 2021. "Helping While Social Distancing: Pathogen Avoidance Motives Influence People’s Helping Intentions during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-10, November.
    2. Rio Sasaki & Atsuhiko Ota & Hiroshi Yatsuya & Takahiro Tabuchi, 2022. "Gender Difference in Fear and Anxiety about and Perceived Susceptibility to COVID-19 in the Third Wave of Pandemic among the Japanese General Population: A Nationwide Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Line I. Berge & Marie H. Gedde & Bettina S. Husebo & Ane Erdal & Camilla Kjellstadli & Ipsit V. Vahia, 2021. "Age and Emotional Distress during COVID-19: Findings from Two Waves of the Norwegian Citizen Panel," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-14, September.

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