Abstract
When estimating the costs to well-being as a result of the outbreak of the pandemic and measures implemented to stem transmission, the authors of this volume will pay attention to the wider well-being costs within European countries. In particular, this volume will consider to what extent Covid-19 and measures taken to cope with the crisis have weakened economic and social structures across Europe and what effect this has had on people’s lives. While many countries in Europe have reallocated public funding to health care, provided support to SMEs, vulnerable populations and regions hit by the crisis, the well-being or welfare costs still risk to be significant. Our assessment will thus go beyond the subjective well-being discourse and evaluate to what extent structural weaknesses within economic, social and regional frameworks have deepened. It thus recognises that structural inequalities are key drivers of well-being. This publication contains original contributions which take into account the specific cultural aspects of European and border regions, and how these have come into play to impact on citizens’ well-being during Covid-19.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Alon, T. M., Doepke, M., Olmstead-Rumsey, J., & Tertilt, M. (2020). The impact of COVID-19 on gender equality. NBER Working Paper, 26947.
Apouey, B., Roulet, A., Solal, I., et al. (2020). Gig workers during the Covid-19 Crisis in France: Financial precarity and mental well-Being. Journal of Urban Health, 97, 776–795. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-020-00480-4
Argyle, M. (2001). The psychology of happiness (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315812212
Babicka-Wirkus, A., Wirkus, L., Stasiak, K., & Kozlowski, P. (2021). University students’ strategies of coping with stress during the coronavirus pandemic: Data from Poland. PLoS One Collection. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0255041
Béné, C. (2020). Resilience of local food systems and links to food security – A review of some important concepts in the context of COVID-19 and other shocks. Food Security, 12, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-020-01076-1
Borjas, G. J. (2020). Demographic determinants of testing incidence and Covid-19 infections in New York city neighborhoods. NBER Working Paper Series, National Bureau of Economic Research. Working Paper 26952). http://www.nber.org/papers/w26952
Bozorgmehr, K., Saint, V., Kaasch, A., Stuckler, D., & Kentikelenis, A. (2020). Covid and the convergence of three crises in Europe. The Lancet. Public Health, 5(5), e247–e248. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(20)30078-5
Brooks, S. K., Dunn, R., Amlôt, R., Rubin, G. J., & Greenberg, N. (2018). A systematic, thematic review of social and occupational factors associated with psychological outcomes in healthcare employees during an infectious disease outbreak. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 60(3), 248–257. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000001235
Brown, C., Ravallion, M., & van de Walle, D. (2016). A poor means test?: Econometric targeting in Africa. Policy Research Working Paper no. 7915. World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/25814
Cook, R., & Grimshaw, D. (2020). A gendered lens on COVID-19 employment and social policies in Europe. European Societies, 0(0), 1–13.
Coron, C., & Dalingwater, L. (2017). Well-being: Challenging the Anglo-Saxon hegemony. Presses Sorbonne Nouvelle.
Crowley, F., & Justin, D. (2020). Covid-19, occupational social distancing and remote working potential: An occupation, sector and regional perspective. Regional Science Policy and Practice, 12, 1211–1234. https://doi.org/10.1111/rsp3.12347
Czymara, C. S., Langenkamp, A., & Cano, T. (2021). Cause for concerns: Gender inequality in experiencing the COVID-19 lockdown in Germany. European Societies, 23(sup1), S68–S81. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616696.2020.1808692
Dalingwater, L., Costantini, I. & Champroux, N. (Ed.) (2019). Well-being: Political discourse and policy in the Anglosphere. Papers in Political Economy, Université de Québec à Montréal, 62, June 2019 (special issue).
De Kock, J. H., Latham, H. A., & Leslie, S. J. (2021). A rapid review of the impact of Covid-19 on the mental health of healthcare workers: Implications for supporting psychological well-being. BMC Public Health, 21, 104. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-10070-3
Diener, E. (2000). Subjective well-being: The science of happiness and a proposal for a national index. American Psychologist, 55(1), 34–43. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.34
Donoso, V., & Retzmann, R. (2021, March 10). The impact of the COVID-19 crisis: Is online teaching increasing inequality and decreasing well-being for children? Parenting for a Digital Future. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/parenting4digitalfuture/2021/03/10/Covid19-and-well-being.
Douglas, M., Katikireddi, S. V., Taulbut, M., McKee, M., & McCartney, G. (2020). Mitigating the wider health effects of covid-19 pandemic response. British Medical Journal, 369, m1557. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1557
Eichhorn, J. (2013). Where happiness varies: Recalling Adam Smith to critically assess the UK government project Measuring National Well-being. Sociological Research Online, 9(2). http//:www.socresonline.co.uk/19/2/6/html
Esping-Andersen, G. (1990). The three worlds of welfare capitalism. Princeton University Press.
Eurofound. (2020). Living, working and Covid-19. Covid-19 series. Publications Office of the European Union.
European Commission. (2021). Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027). https://education.ec.europa.eu/focus-topics/digital-education/digital-education-action-plan
Ewing-Nelson, C. (2020). Four times more women than men dropped out of the labor force in September. Factsheet, 2 October. Washington DC: National Women’s Law Center. Available at: https://nwlc.org/resources/four-times-more-women-than-men-dropped-out-of-the-labor-force-in-september/. Accessed 16 December 2020.
Falkenhain, M., Flick, U., Hirseland, A., Naji, S., Seidelsohn, K., & Verlage, T. (2021). Setback in labour market integration due to the Covid-19 crisis? An explorative insight on forced migrants’ vulnerability in Germany. European Societies, 23(sup1), S448–S463. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616696.2020.1828976
Farcas, A. C., Galanakis, C. M., Socaciu, C., Pop, O. L., Tibulca, D., Paucean, A., et al. (2021). Food security during the pandemic and the importance of the bioeconomy in the new era. Sustainability, 13(1), 150. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13010150
Farquharson, C., Rasul, I., & Sibieta, L. (2020). Key workers: Key facts and questions. IFS Briefing Note BN 285. https://ifs.org.uk/publications/14763
Fortier, N. (2020). COVID-19, gender inequality, and the responsibility of the state. International Journal of Wellbeing, 3(10), 77–93.
Gadrey, J. (2012). Croissance, richesse, bien-être, indicateurs: une vidéo de 8 minutes. Alternative Economiques. https://blogs.alternatives-economiques.fr/gadrey/2012/10/21/croissance-richesse-bien-etre-indicateurs-une-video-de-8-minutes
Ghosal, S., Bhattacharyya, R., & Majumder, M. (2020). Impact of complete lockdown on total infection and death rates: A hierarchical cluster analysis. Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews, 14(4), 707–711. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsx.2020.05.026
Ginsburgh, V., Magerman, G., & Natali, I. (2021). Covid-19 and the role of inequality in French regional departments. The European Journal of Health Economics, 22, 311–327. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10198-020-01254-0
Gold, J. A. (2020). Covid-19: Adverse mental health outcomes for healthcare workers. BMJ, 369, m1815. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1815
Grasso, M., Klicperová-Baker, M., Koos, S., Kosyakova, Y., Petrillo, A., & Vlase, I. (2021). The impact of the coronavirus crisis on European societies. What have we learnt and where do we go from here? – Introduction to the Covid volume. European Societies, 23(sup1), S2–S32. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616696.2020.1869283
Gupta, J., Bavinck, M., Ros-Tonen, M., Asubonteng, K., Bosch, H., van Ewijk, E., Hordijk, M., Van Leynseele, Y., Lopes Cardozo, M., Miedema, E., Pouw, N., Rammelt, C., Scholtens, J., Vegelin, C., & Verrest, H. (2021). Covid-19, poverty and inclusive development. World Development, 145, 105527. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2021.105527
Hewitt, R. (2021, April). Students’ views on the impact of Coronavirus on their Higher Education Experience in 2021. Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI). Hepi Policy Note 29. https://www.hepi.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/HEPI-Policy-Note-29-Students-views-on-the-impact-of-Coronavirus-on-their-higher-education-experience-in-2021-26_03_21_pdf
Holst, H., Fessler, A., & Niehoff, S. (2021). Covid-19, social class and work experience in Germany: Inequalities in work-related health and economic risks. European Societies, 23(sup1), S495–S512. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616696.2020.1828979
IMF. (2022, April 14). Facing crisis upon crisis: How the world can respond. https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2022/04/14/sp041422-curtain-raiser-sm2022
Irien, L. (2021, June 22). Online education in times of Covid-19 – A challenging transition for European countries. Eyes on Europe https://www.eyes-on-europe.eu/online-education-in-times-of-Covid-19-a-challenging-transition-for-european-countries/
IWPR (Institute for Women’s Policy Research). (2020). Women are falling further behind men in the recovery and are 5.8 million jobs below pre-COVID employment levels, compared with 5.0 million fewer jobs for men. Institute for Women’s Policy Research. https://iwpr.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/QF-Jobs-Day-October-dft-HM-Fact-Checked.pdf [Google Scholar].
Kulic, N., Dotti Sani, G. M., Strauss, S., & Bellani, L. (2021). Economic disturbances in the COVID-19 crisis and their gendered impact on unpaid activities in Germany and Italy. European Societies, 23(sup1), S400–S416. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616696.2020.1828974
Layard, R. (2005). Happiness: Lessons from a New Science. Penguin Books.
Lischer, S., Netkey, S., & Dickson, C. (2021). Remote learning and students’ mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic: A mixed-method enquiry. Prospects. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125-020-09530-w
Marmot, M., Allen, J., Boyce, T., Goldblatt, P., & Morrison, J. (2020). Health equity in England: The marmot review 10 years on. Institute of Health Equity.
Maunder, R., Lancee, W., Balderson, K., Bennett, J., Borgundvaag, B., & Evans, S. (2006). Long-term psychological and occupational effects of providing hospital healthcare during SARS outbreak. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 12(12), 1924–1932. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1212.060584
Minello, A., Martucci, S., & Manzo, L. K. C. (2021). The pandemic and the academic mothers: Present hardships and future perspectives. European Societies, 23(sup1), S82–S94. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616696.2020.1809690
Murji, K., & Picker, G. (2021). Racist morbidities: A conjunctural analysis of the Covid-19 pandemic. European Societies, 23(sup1), S307–S320. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616696.2020.1825767
Nguyen, L. H., Drew, D. A., Graham, M. S., Joshi, A. D., Guo, C., & Ma, W. (2020). Risk of Covid-19 among front-line health-care workers and the general community: A prospective cohort study. The Lancet: Public Health, 5(9), e475–e483. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(20)30164-X
Nurunnabi, M., Almusharraf, N., & Aldeghaither, D. (2021, Jan 27). Mental health and well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic in higher education: Evidence from G20 countries. Journal of Public Health Research, 9(sup1), 2010. https://doi.org/10.4081/jphr.2020.2010
OECD. (2014). How’s life in your region? OECD.
Office for National Statistics (ONS). (2020). Coronavirus (Covid-19) related deaths by occupation, England and Wales: Deaths registered up to and including 20 April 2020. https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/Covid19relateddeathsbyoccupationenglandandwalesdeathsregistereduptoandincluding20thapril2020
Pacek, A., & Radcliffe, B. (2008). Assessing the welfare state: The politics of happiness. Perspectives on Politics, 6(2), 267–277. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1537592708080602
Petrie, K., Crawford, J., Baker, S., Dean, K., Robinson, J., & Venes, B. J. (2019). Interventions to reduce symptoms of common mental disorders and suicidal ideation in physicians: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet: Psychiatry, 6(3), 225–234. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30509-1
Popyk, A., & Pustułka, P. (2022). Educational disadvantages during Covid-19 pandemic faced by migrant school children in Poland. Journal of International Migration and Integration. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-022-00953-2
Poteat, T., Millett, G. A., Nelson, L. E., & Beyrer, C. (2020). Understanding COVID-19 risks and vulnerabilities among black communities in America: The lethal force of syndemics. Annals of Epidemiology, 47, 1–3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annepidem.2020.05.004
Redmond, P. & McGuinness, S. (2020). Who can work from home in Ireland? ESRI Survey and Statistical Report Series, 87. https://www.esri.ie/system/files/publications/SUSTAT87.pdf
Reichelt, M., Makovi, K., & Sargsyan, A. (2021). The impact of COVID-19 on gender inequality in the labor market and gender-role attitudes. European Societies, 23(sup1), S228–S245. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616696.2020.1823010
Rutschman, A. (2021). Rutschman Is there a cure for vaccine nationalism? Current History, 120(822), 9–14. https://doi.org/10.1525/curh.2021.120.822.9
Sá, F. (2020, May). Socioeconomic determinants of Covid-19 infections and mortality: Evidence from England and Wales. CEPR Discussion Paper No. DP14781.
Savage, M. J., Magistro, R., Donaldson, D., Nevill, L. C., Healy, M., & Hennis, P. J. (2000). Mental health and movement behaviour during the Covid-19 pandemic in UK university students: Prospective cohort study. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 19, 100357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2020.100357
Scott, K. (2012). Measuring well-being: Towards sustainability? Routledge.
Stiglitz, J., Sen, A. & Fitoussi, J. P. (2009). Rapport de la commission sur la mesure des performances économiques et du progrès social. http://www.stiglitz-sen-fitoussi.fr
UN. (2020a, March 13). Europe is now the new epicenter of the pandemic, according to the WTO. https://news.un.org/fr/story/2020/03/1063991
UN. (2020b, April). Covid-19: Disrupting lives, economies and societies. World Economic Situation and Prospects: Briefing, No. 136. https://www.un.org/development/desa/dpad/publication/world-economic-situation-and-prospects-april-2020-briefing-no-136/
Verwimp, P. (2020). The Spread of Covid-19 in Belgium: A municipality-level analysis. Working Papers ECARES 2020-25, ULB (Université Libre de Bruxelles).
Von Carsten, S., Entringer, T., Göbel, J., Grabka, M., Graeber, D., Kröger, H., Kroh, M., Kühne, S., Liebig, S., Schupp, J., Seebauer J. & Zinn, S. (2020, May 12). Vor dem Covid-19-Virus sind nicht alle Erwerbstätigen gleich. DIW Berlin. https://www.diw.de/de/diw_01.c.789505.de/publikationen/diw_aktuell/2020_0041/vor_dem_Covid-19-virus_sind_nicht_alle_erwerbstaetigen_gleich.html
Walsh, B., Redmond, P. & Roantre, B. (2020, July). Differences in risk of severe outcomes from Covid-19 across occupations in Ireland. ERSI Survey, 93. https://doi.org/10.26504/sustat93.pdf
Wang, S., Chen, X., Li, Y., Luu, C., Ran, Y., & Madrisotti, F. (2021). ‘I’m more afraid of racism than of the virus!’: Racism awareness and resistance among Chinese migrants and their descendants in France during the Covid-19 pandemic. European Societies, 23(sup1), S721–S742. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616696.2020.1836384
WHO. (1946). Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference. New York, 19–22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States. Official Records of the World Health Organization, no. 2, p. 100) and entered into force on 7 April 1948.
World Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (WHO EMRO). (2020). Zoonotic disease: Emerging public health threats in the Region. Retrieved May 25, 2020, from http://www.emro.who.int/about-who/rc61/zoonotic-diseases.html
Williams, M. (2020, May 19). Coronavirus class divide – the jobs most at risk of contracting and dying from COVID-19. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-class-divide-the-jobs-most-at-risk-of-contracting-and-dying-from-covid-19-138857
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Dalingwater, L., Boullet, V., Costantini, I. (2022). Introduction. In: Dalingwater, L., Boullet, V., Costantini, I., Gibbs, P. (eds) The Unequal Costs of Covid-19 on Well-being in Europe. Human Well-Being Research and Policy Making. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-14425-7_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-14425-7_1
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-14424-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-14425-7
eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)