Biomedical
Rural household vulnerability and COVID-19: Evidence from India
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected vulnerable households’ livelihoods in developing countries. Using high-frequency phone survey data from the World Bank, we assess rural Indian households’ vulnerability and poverty status during the pandemic. Results reveal that over three-fifths of Indian rural households are vulnerable to poverty in the context of COVID-19, despite India’s evident progress in mitigating poverty in the pre-pandemic era. Poverty plays a major role in accounting for variations in household vulnerability; however, the impact of risks on household welfare is not negligible. On average, households with more members, older household heads, and more outmigrants are more vulnerable to poverty during the pandemic. The impacts of the gender of the household head, access to masks, consumption loans, and COVID-related information are nevertheless insignificant. Results stress the urgent necessity of deploying concerted interventions to strengthen household vulnerability in rural India.
Key Questions
1. What is the primary objective of the study?
The study aims to assess the vulnerability and poverty status of rural Indian households during the COVID-19 pandemic, utilizing high-frequency phone survey data from the World Bank.
2. What methodology was employed in the research?
The research utilized high-frequency phone survey data from the World Bank to evaluate the vulnerability and poverty status of rural Indian households during the pandemic.
3. What were the main findings of the study?
The study found that over three-fifths of Indian rural households are vulnerable to poverty in the context of COVID-19, despite India's evident progress in mitigating poverty in the pre-pandemic era.
Summary
Junyan Tian (2024) conducted a study to assess the vulnerability and poverty status of rural Indian households during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research found that over three-fifths of these households are vulnerable to poverty during the pandemic, highlighting the significant impact of COVID-19 on rural livelihoods in India.
