Managing health during the COVID-19 pandemic: Actions taken for mental health concerns, health care use and avoidance by working age Australians

This brief report describes actions taken by working age Australians to manage their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to the use and avoidance of health services.

Participants enrolled in a prospective longitudinal cohort study on the health impacts of Australian adults experiencing work loss during the pandemic (COVID-19 Work and Health Study). We examined the association between psychological distress upon study enrolment, and data collected 1 month later (during 27 April - 26 July 2020) on health service use and avoidance, whether respondents had spoken to a health professional or other person about mental health concerns, and other actions taken to manage mental health.