The COVID-19 pandemic triggered significant distress and majorly impacted the daily lives of people worldwide. A large-scale international study has now provided robust evidence that women carried a disproportionate mental health burden, which may be linked to a significant increase in home and work responsibilities. The research, known as the COvid Mental healTh (COMET) survey, collected data from over 7,900 participants across 13 countries, including 593 from Indonesia, to analyze the pandemic’s effects on depression, anxiety, and PTSD. The findings highlight how the pandemic exacerbated existing gender inequities in both paid and unpaid work.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, a longitudinal study from May 2020 to April 2021 across 13 countries consistently revealed that women experienced higher rates of depression, anxiety, and PTSD compared to men. This gender disparity was closely linked to women being more likely to report an increase in responsibilities at home and work. Financial pressures were a particularly significant stressor for women; a reduction in income was associated with higher depression scores, while the combined burden of working harder and experiencing income loss was linked to increased anxiety—an association that was not found in men.

Analysis of psychosocial factors revealed that the impact of social support on mental health differs significantly by gender. For instance, a lack of social support was a strong predictor of depression and anxiety in women, but not in men. This may be because the genders perceive support differently. Men tend to view their spouse as their primary support, while women often define it as a broader network that includes their spouse, family, and friends. Paradoxically, the study also found that actively relying on social support to cope was linked to worse mental health outcomes—higher scores for depression, anxiety, and PTSD—for both genders. This negative effect was particularly pronounced in men. While women are generally more likely to use such coping strategies, the findings suggest that men also do rely on them. This is especially true for those without a partner and may have been feeling vulnerable due to the stressors of the pandemic.

Ultimately, the research concludes that the pandemic intensified pressures on women, with increased responsibilities at home and work likely contributing to poorer mental health outcomes. The study, which included the work of researchers Fredrick Dermawan Purba, M.Psi., Ph.D., Psikolog and Dhini Andriani, S.Psi., M.Psi., Psikolog from Universitas Padjadjaran, provides crucial insight into how global health crises can deepen gender inequalities. These findings underscore the importance of addressing gender roles and strengthening support systems to protect women’s mental well-being during future public health emergencies.