Skip to content

News Center | Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia Institute of Technology

Search

Search form

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • News Home
  • Campus Map
  • Directory
  • Offices

News Center

Menu
Close
  • Calendar
  • Categories
    • Business and Economic Development
    • Campus and Community
    • Earth and Environment
    • Health and Medicine
    • Science and Technology
    • Society and Culture
    • Feature Stories
  • Media Contacts
  • Experts
    • Find an Expert
    • Featured Expert
  • Daily Digest
  • The Whistle
    • Home
    • Classifieds
    • Archives
  • Social Media
  • Subscribe
  • You are here:
  • GT Home
  • Georgia Tech NewsCenter
  • Home
  • Ivan Allen College Researcher Shows Many in U.S. Faced Economic Hardship Due to Covid-19

Society and Culture

Ivan Allen College Researcher Shows Many in U.S. Faced Economic Hardship Due to Covid-19

By Denise Ward | December 16, 2020 • Atlanta, GA

Dr. Shatakshee Dhongde
Click image to enlarge
Download Image

New research has found that almost 25% of U.S. respondents experienced two of four types of deprivation due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Shatakshee Dhongde, associate professor of economics in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, analyzed results of the Federal Reserve Board’s Survey of Household Economics and Decision-Making to determine the multiple economic deprivations experienced by respondents. Her work was recently published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE. Dhongde found that significant proportions of U.S. respondents were experiencing economic hardships even early in the Covid-19 pandemic, with Hispanic citizens being particularly affected.

“The paper highlights the plight of Americans during the early months of the economic crisis set in motion amid the coronavirus pandemic,” Dhongde said. “It sheds light on how economic disparities deepened along racial and ethnic lines.”   

The pandemic triggered an unprecedented economic crisis in the U.S. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows more than 374,000 confirmed U.S. Covid-19 cases between April 3 and April 6. The Federal Reserve Board surveyed 1,030 U.S. respondents about their households. The survey compiled data on four indicators of economic deprivation: overall financial condition, loss of employment, reduction in income, and inability to pay bills in full.

Dhongde found significant deprivation among respondents, with almost 25% reporting hardships in at least two of the four indicators. One quarter of respondents saw their incomes fall compared to the previous month, and 13% were unable to pay their monthly bills. Young adults and those without a college education experienced a disproportionate loss of economic well-being.

She also found that Hispanic respondents were experiencing significantly higher deprivation: over 37% of these respondents faced hardships in at least two of the four indicators, and 8% reported hardships in all four areas. 

“Going forward, it is urgent that we prioritize economic aid to vulnerable populations,” Dhongde added. “These individuals are experiencing multiple hardships, and, without immediate aid, they will not be able to sustain the economic shock of the pandemic.”

The paper, "Multidimensional Economic Deprivation During the Coronavirus Pandemic: Early Evidence from the United States,"  is available at 

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0244130

For more coverage of Georgia Tech’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, please visit our Responding to Covid-19 page.

Contact Information

Denise Ward
denise.ward@gatech.edu

Categories

Society and Culture

News Categories

  • Business and Economic Development
  • Campus and Community
  • Earth and Environment
  • Health and Medicine
  • Science and Technology
  • Society and Culture

Expert Voices

Margaret Kosal (Georgia Institute of Technology Photo)

Why Is the U.S. in Niger?
Margaret E. Kosal
The Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Richard Utz
Winter is Coming (Back, This Sunday)
Richard Utz
School of Literature, Media, and Communication

Featured Videos

Seth Osekre, a custodian in Facilities Management, follows safety protocols when cleaning. (Video by Allison Carter)

2020 graduate TJ Weiler talks about his journey to earning a Georgia Tech degree.

Georgia Tech Resources

  • Offices & Departments
  • News Center
  • Campus Calendar
  • Special Events
  • GreenBuzz
  • Institute Communications
  • Visitor Resources
  • Campus Visits
  • Directions to Campus
  • Visitor Parking Information
  • GTvisitor Wireless Network Information
  • Georgia Tech Global Learning Center
  • Georgia Tech Hotel & Conference Center
  • Barnes & Noble at Georgia Tech
  • Ferst Center for the Arts
  • Robert C. Williams Paper Museum

Colleges, Instructional Sites & Research

  • Colleges
  • College of Computing
  • College of Design
  • College of Engineering
  • College of Sciences
  • Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
  • Scheller College of Business
  • Instructional Sites
  • Georgia Tech-Lorraine
  • Georgia Tech-Savannah
  • Georgia Tech-Shenzhen
  • Georgia Tech Online
  • Professional Education
  • The Language Institute
  • Global Footprint
  • Global Engagement
  • Research
  • Georgia Tech Research Institute
  • Research at Georgia Tech
  • Executive Vice President for Research

Student & Parent Resources

  • Student Resources
  • Apply
  • BuzzPort
  • Buzzcard
  • Career Center
  • Co-ops & Internships
  • Commencement
  • Library
  • Student Life
  • Student Entrepreneurship
  • Study Abroad
  • T-Square
  • Parent Resources
  • Parent and Family Programs
  • Dean of Students
  • Scholarships & Financial Aid

Employee, Alumni, & Other Resources

  • Employees
  • Administration and Finance
  • Advising & Teaching
  • Faculty Affairs
  • Faculty Hiring
  • Human Resources
  • Office of the Provost
  • TechWorks
  • Alumni
  • Alumni Association
  • Alumni Career Services
  • Giving Back to Tech
  • Outreach
  • Startup Companies
  • Economic Development
  • Industry Engagement
  • Government & Community Partners
  • Professional Education
Map of News Center | Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Institute of Technology
North Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30332
Phone: (404) 894-2000

  • Contact Us
  • Site Feedback
  • Tech Lingo
  • Emergency Information
  • Legal & Privacy Information
  • Human Trafficking Notice
  • Accessibility
  • Accountability
  • Accreditation
  • Employment
Georgia Tech

© Georgia Institute of Technology