SOURCE: AB Viewpoint Survey Jan. 2023 (N = 1215)

NOTES: Estimates based on weighted survey data. Responses to the question: “Comparing each of these elements [financial situation, physical health, and mental health] of your life today to the way it was before the COVID-19 pandemic, would you say you are worse off, about the same or better off?”

Comparing their financial situations over time, 49% of Albertans reported that their financial situations had worsened over the pandemic, 36% reported no change, and 16% saw some improvements in their situations. Many Albertans also experienced declines in their physical and mental health; 35% reported worsening physical health and 43% reported worsening mental health.

Combining these responses, we find that only 35% of respondents reported that all three dimensions were unchanged or better. The remaining 65% reported that at least one of the three dimensions - financial, physical or mental health - was worse. Just under 20% reported that all three dimensions were worse.

These outcomes further varied across groups. Figure 2 presents the percentages of respondents who reported worsening financial, physical, and mental health over the course of the pandemic broken down by gender, education, race, location, generation, and the presence of children in the household. Figure 3 further describes respondents’ worsening financial, physical, and mental health by political affiliation and ideology.

Figure 2 shows that these outcomes varied across certain demographic groups. Gender, education, race, and generation were associated with worsening outcomes. Women were more likely than men to report worsening mental health; 47% of women reported worse mental health compared to 38% of men. Individuals with less than a university-level education were more likely to report worsening financial situations, physical health, and mental health when compared to individuals with a university degree or higher. Differences across racial and ethnic groups appeared in terms of physical health. Racial minority respondents were 12 percentage points more likely to report worse physical health than White respondents. Finally, across generations, older adults tended to fare better in regard to mental health outcomes. Members of the Silent or Boomer generations -- individuals born before 1965 -- were less likely than Gen Z members -- those born since 1995 -- to report worsening mental health. Fifty-two percent of Gen Z adults reported worsening health compared to only 31% of those in the Silent and Boomer generations.

Expanding on these differences, Figure 3 shows that outcomes also varied by party affiliation and political ideology. In this case, party affiliation refers to individual identification with a specific party, and political ideology refers to where individuals placed themselves on a scale ranging from very left-wing to very right-wing.

Compared to individuals who identify with the UCP, NDP supporters and respondents who did not indicate a party affiliation were less likely to report worsening financial situations by 16 and 18 percentage points, respectively. Respondents who identified with other parties, which could include the Liberal, Alberta, Green or Wildrose parties, were 12 percentage points or 40% more likely than UCP supporters to report worsening physical health outcomes. Finally, NDP supporters were 9 percentage points or 22% more likely than UCP supporters to report worse mental health as a result of the pandemic.

With respect to political ideology, differences were most apparent toward the ends of this distribution when comparing far right with center left and far left positions. Individuals with far right political positions were less likely than those with far left political positions to experience worsening financial situations throughout the pandemic. However, they were more likely than center left respondents to report worsening physical and mental health over the course of the pandemic.