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Impact of COVID-19 on Healthcare Labor Market in the United States: Lower Paid Workers Experienced Higher Vulnerability and Slower Recovery.
- Source :
-
International journal of environmental research and public health [Int J Environ Res Public Health] 2021 Apr 08; Vol. 18 (8). Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Apr 08. - Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- The resilience of the healthcare industry, often considered recession-proof, is being tested by the COVID-19 induced reductions in physical mobility and restrictions on elective and non-emergent medical procedures. We assess early COVID-19 effects on the dynamics of decline and recovery in healthcare labor markets in the United States. Descriptive analyses with monthly cross-sectional data on unemployment rates, employment, labor market entry/exit, and weekly work hours among healthcare workers in each healthcare industry and occupation, using the Current Population Survey from July 2019-2020 were performed. We found that unemployment rates increased dramatically for all healthcare industries, with the strongest early impacts on dentists' offices (41.3%), outpatient centers (10.5%), physician offices (9.5%), and home health (7.8%). Lower paid workers such as technologists/technicians (10.5%) and healthcare aides (12.6%) were hit hardest and faced persistently high unemployment, while nurses (4%), physicians/surgeons (1.4%), and pharmacists (0.7%) were spared major disruptions. Unique economic vulnerabilities faced by low-income healthcare workers may need to be addressed to avoid serious disruptions from future events similar to COVID-19.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1660-4601
- Volume :
- 18
- Issue :
- 8
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- International journal of environmental research and public health
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 33917682
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18083894