Perceived Discrimination in Australia During the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Longitudinal Study

Objectives: There have been global reports of increased discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic relative to the pre-pandemic era, though this has not been well explored within Australia. The aim of the study was to characterise discriminatory behaviour experienced by groups previously identified as most at risk of experiencing discrimination (i.e. those of Asian descent or healthcare workers) both from pre-pandemic to pandemic and during the pandemic era in Australia. Methods: From April 2020 to September 2021, 1479 Australian adults completed the everyday discrimination scale (EDS). Initially, participants were asked to retrospectively consider discrimination experienced pre-COVID-19 pandemic and then to consider experiences in the past month during the pandemic. Participants were invited to repeat the latter every 2 months. Results: Collectively, there was a reduction in EDS scores from pre-pandemic to pandemic. Within the pandemic era, mean trajectory graphs across time revealed that changes in EDS scores in the ‘non-Asian healthcare workers’ and ‘Asian healthcare workers’ subgroups tended to mirror onto fluctuations in Australian COVID-19 case numbers. Conclusion: Our findings suggest social solidarity amongst the general Australian population during the pandemic, but still highlight a need to dedicate resources towards groups with heightened risk of experiencing discrimination during future public health threats.