The pandemic has impacted women’s mental health more aggressively and men’s health less. Not only in Italy, but throughout Europe. To certify this, bluntly, is Eige, the European agency that monitors and measures the presence (and persistence) of gaps between women and men in the twenty-seven Member States.
“Generally speaking, in 2020 there was a worrying deterioration in mental well-being across the old continent,” he explains Davide Barbieri, official of the Eige statistics office. “By analyzing in detail all the three pandemic waves – April 2020, July 2020, February-March 2021 – women’s mental well-being was consistently lower than that of men. of the third wave, between spring and early summer of 2021, when a good percentage of European women, especially those of working age, showed signs of mental and psychological malaise, with risks of depression “.
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Among the causes identified, in addition to the increase in care work triggered by the closures of schools and services dedicated to children and the assistance of the most vulnerable people; the difficulties in finding a balance between paid and unpaid work; and the fact that women have suffered most from the consequences of the economic crisis generated by the interruption of some economic activities: EIGE officials have recognized the impact of the persistent feeling of loneliness.
The Gender Equality Index that the European agency will present today in Vilnius, which monitors weaknesses and progress achieved in the 27, recognizes that loneliness is “a great threat to people’s mental health“. Those most at risk are young adults, women, people with a low level of education or income, the unemployed, those who live alone or who live in urban contexts. The mental health of women who discovered they were pregnant during the pandemic, or who gave birth or experienced a miscarriage, was also somewhat compromised due to the fact that their partners were unable to assist them in the most significant moments.
Going into the detail of the Italian data, the photograph taken by Eige confirms that even in our country women have suffered from mental disorders (in particular schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorders, anxiety, eating disorders) to a greater extent than men (18% against 13%). Major risk factors include fear of contagion for oneself and loved ones, financial hardship, and a sense of profound isolation and loneliness.
In the first wave (April 2020), 13% of Italian women always or almost always felt alone (against 9% of men), but this feeling grew over time to affect 21% of women in February / March 2021. Young girls, in particular, have been affected by this problem much more frequently than their peers: 34% of girls and only 18% of boys felt lonely.
A gendered approach is needed
While it is still early days to accurately assess the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of European women and men, EU experts agree that the peak could come long after the virus slows down. “Precisely because the pandemic has not affected (and does not affect) men and women with the same intensity and in the same way – underlines Barbieri – it is more necessary than ever to adopt a gender approach in studying the effects that the pandemic will have on physical and mental health of Europeans “.
Little access to treatment during the pandemic
2020 was characterized, across Europe, by a significant limitation of access to healthcare. There are many Europeans who have postponed appointments by choice (mainly for fear of contagion) or because of the unavailability of doctors. In the first year of the pandemic, 21% of citizens lost, on average, a medical visit or treatment. And even in the spring of 2021 (when the EIGE collected the data, ed) 18% of the interviewees were experiencing a health problem for which they could not receive assistance or treatment.
As for Italy, during the pandemic, 25% of women did not receive medical treatment or necessary care while the need of men remained unsatisfied only in 21% of cases.
In 2020, in most EU countries, life expectancy decreased. Today, women can expect to be healthy up to 65 (one year less than in 2019) while men up to 64 (just a couple of months less). The decline in the number of births registered between the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021 is also linked to the pandemic, especially in the countries most affected by COVID-19.
Gender equality: how is Italy doing?
From the overall analysis of the 200 pages it emerges that Italy is doing its homework well but the results are not yet sufficient. To be clearer: on a scale of values where 1 corresponds to a total disparity and 100 represents the achievement of gender equality, the Twenty-seven Member States have achieved – on average – 68 points. Italy, with 63.8 points, is below the European average, in fourteenth place: practically unchanged (+ 0.3 points) compared to last year. “But if you look at the long term, our country has achieved significant results: since 2010, it has progressed by 10 points, advancing in the ranking by seven places”, underlines Barbieri.
– Salute:
The area of health is the one in which gender inequalities are less marked (88.4 points), while in the other sectors considered by the EIGE, that of work, money, knowledge, decision-making power, time management (dedicated housework, care or care), much remains to be done to ensure equal opportunities for men and women.
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– Job:
Exactly as it emerged last year, and the year before, the area in which Italy has a strong need to improve is that of work: here there are still serious disparities, so much so that our country (with 63.7 points ) consistently ranks last among all EU Member States.
– Instruction:
Gender inequalities are also very pronounced in the area of knowledge: here Italy is even relegated by 6 points due to the increase in gender segregation in education.
– Power:
In the area of power, on the other hand, Italy recorded the greatest improvement (+ 27 points from 2010 and + 3.4 points from 2018), thanks, in particular, to the improvements in the decision-making process in the economic sector and the greater presence of women on the boards of directors of listed companies (due to the Gulf-Moscow law of 2011).
Gender-based violence
A separate discussion concerns violence against women. Although consolidated data on Italy are still lacking, some evidence indicates that violence against women has increased. During the 2020 lockdown, for example, a 73% increase in calls to the anti-violence hotline (1522) was reported, compared to the same period in 2019.
In Europe, three generations are needed for gender equality
The countries that have a chance of achieving gender equality faster are the usual suspects: Sweden, Holland, France and Finland. If Europe continues to progress at this rate, before the twenty-seven European countries reach gender equality, it will take three generations. “And in any case, this projection could be wrong given that the pandemic risks not only slowing down projects, but also frustrating those already achieved in the last decade”, concludes Barbieri.
The European Union is continuing its action to reduce gender gaps. Starting with the already approved directive on work-life balance, other directives are under discussion in the European Parliament or the European Council. In particular, the directive on transparency on wages and salaries, with respect to which, however, Italy is already working. On October 13, the Chamber approved the consolidated text with the bills on equal pay for men and women. “A second directive – explains Barbieri – concerns gender equality in all decision-making levels (also very important in relation to the presence of women, still limited, in the bodies and committees that have managed the pandemic emergency, and which will subsequently manage the funds Europeans of recovery and resilience), and again a directive to combat gender-based violence, at a time when the Istanbul Convention has not yet been ratified by several member states, nor by the European Union “. Finally, a communication campaign against gender stereotypes is planned for the near future.
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