Health and Healthcare Access for Essential, Nonessential, and Nonworkers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study is to describe sociodemographic characteristics, healthcare access, and health status of low-income essential, nonessential, and nonworkers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Using survey data (2020-2021) from Wisconsin Medicaid enrollees ( N = 2528), we compared sociodemographics, healthcare access, and health status between essential, nonessential, and nonworkers.

Results: Essential workers had less consistent health insurance coverage and more problems paying medical bills than nonessential and nonworkers. They reported better health than nonessential and nonworkers. They reported fewer work-limiting conditions and less outpatient healthcare utilization than nonworkers but similar rates as nonessential workers. Essential workers reported masking less frequently than nonworkers but similar frequency to nonessential workers, and lower COVID-19 vaccine willingness than nonessential and nonworkers.

Conclusions: Essential workers report better health, fewer protective behaviors, and more healthcare barriers than nonessential and nonworkers. Findings indicate essential worker status may be a social determinant of health.