While billions of dollars have been appropriated by federal and state governments since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, a series of polls by NPR, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation find that a substantial share of households have not been protected from serious impacts of the pandemic across many areas of residents' lives.
“The Impact of Coronavirus” poll series offers a national look at the problems emerging from the pandemic relating to household finances, jobs, health care, housing, transportation, caregiving, and well-being. Researchers interviewed 3,454 adults age 18 or older across the United States.
The first survey report in a series of five, "The Impact of Coronavirus on Households in Major U.S. Cities," shows that households in the four largest U.S. cities—New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston—experienced widespread, serious financial and health problems since the start of the coronavirus outbreak. The findings reinforce the need for strong safety net supports that reach populations most deeply and disparately impacted by the pandemic.
The second survey report, "The Impact of Coronavirus on Households, By Race/Ethnicity," explored serious problems facing households in high-risk racial/ethnic groups across the nation during the coronavirus outbreak. In particular, findings highlight the experiences of Latino, Black, and Native American communities, who have all been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 with high rates of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.
The third survey report, "The Impact of Coronavirus on Households Across America," details experiences across different areas of people's lives, including serious problems with their finances, jobs, health care, housing, transportation, caregiving, and well-being.
The fourth survey report, "The Impact of Coronavirus on Households with Children," highlights serious problems reported across a wide range of areas during the pandemic, including depleting household savings, serious problems paying credit card bills and other debt, and affording medical care.
The fifth survey report, "The Impact of Coronavirus on Households in Rural America," finds that rural communities are facing distinct challenges during the pandemic due to long-standing systemic health and social inequities. When it comes to health care, the coronavirus outbreak has dramatically affected delivery, with systems facing disruptions, delays, and deferrals in care for many patients.
