Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the professional status of Bulgarians. Data from its peak at the end of 2020
Medical Review (Med. pregled), 2023, 59(6), 33-43.
E. Naseva1, M. Baev2, G. Baev3, G. Stoilchev4
1 Faculty of Public Health “Prof. Tsekomir Vodenicharov, MD, DSc”, Medical University of Sofia
2 Astra Forum Foundation
3 National Military University “Vasil Levski”
4 New Bulgarian University – Sofia
Abstract. The aim of the article is to assess the dynamics in the professional status of Bulgar¬ians from the period before COVID-19 to one of the peaks of the pandemic at the end of 2020 and to characterize the risk groups for falling among the unemployed. This will enable health and social managers to perform interventions in order to prevent deterioration of the health status of these groups of society and thus to protect public health. Materials and methods. Data was collected online at the end of 2020 among 930 individuals recruited via Facebook through Google Forms. The survey was advertised among all age groups in order to achieve an adequate representation of all society’s clusters. Results. Participants were asked about their occupational status before the pandemic and during the study. We found a decrease in the proportion of qualified workers, employees, health workers, freelancers and directors/managers. The unemployment rate increased significantly by 3.1%, from 3.2 to 6.3% (more than twice the pre-pandemic levels), showing no symmetry between pre-pandemic and current responses (p=0.003). The largest proportions of the categories who lost their jobs and moved to the unemployed were observed among non-qualified workers, followed by the freelancers, qualified workers and business owners with employees. They turn out to be the most economically vulnerable in the context of the recent pandemic. Univariate analyses revealed significant factors for job loss during a pandemic: low self-reported income, lower education and residence in villages and small towns. Only education remained as a significant factor in the multivariate model. Conclusion. The groups most vulnerable to being unemployed are also some of the most vulnerable in terms of their health due to the close relationship between health and economic well-being. In this way, health and social interventions during a pandemic should be directed to prevent poverty and thus the deterioration of individual health.
Key words: pandemic, COVID-19, coronavirus, unemployment, economic determinants, public health
Address for correspondence: Emilia Naseva, PhD, e-mail: e.naseva@foz.mu-sofia.bg