Cross-sectional study finds contrasting psychological distress between male and female employers during COVID-19, indicating distinct gendered burdens in entrepreneurship.
Key Points
To evaluate gender differences in self-perceived health and psychological distress among employees and self-employed individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Analyzed cross-sectional data from the 2021 Barcelona Health Survey comprising 1,777 workers aged 25–64 years (892 men and 885 women) in Spain.
Categorized employment status into four groups: permanent employee, temporary employee, self-employed, and employer.
Conducted gender-stratified analyses assessing self-perceived health and psychological distress across employment categories.
Self-perceived health showed no significant differences across employment categories in either men or women.
Psychological distress diverged sharply by gender: male employers had better psychological status than male employees, whereas female employers had higher odds of poor psychological status compared to other employed women.
Female employers were less likely to belong to higher social classes, less likely to live with a partner, and more likely to have children than other employed women.