The association between socioeconomic status and mobility reductions in the early stage of England's COVID-19 epidemic

• Published in: Health & place 2021-05, Vol.69, p.102563, Article 102563
• Main Authors: Lee, Won Do, Qian, Matthias, Schwanen, Tim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Communicable Disease Control - methods; COVID-19; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 - psychology; Dependency; Differentiation; England; Epidemics; Everyday mobility; Heterogeneity; Humans; Lockdown; Mobile phones; Mobility; Pandemics; Reduction; Social Behavior; Social Class; Socioeconomic Factors; Socioeconomic status; Socioeconomics; Spatial Analysis; Spatial complexity
• ISSN: 1353-8292; 1873-2054; 1873-2054
• DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2021.102563

This study uses mobile phone data to examine how socioeconomic status was associated with the extent of mobility reduction during the spring 2020 lockdown in England in a manner that considers both potentially confounding effects and spatial dependency and heterogeneity. It shows that socioeconomic status as approximated through income and occupation was strongly correlated with the extent of mobility reduction. It also demonstrates that the specific nature of the association of socioeconomic status with mobility reduction varied markedly across England. Finally, the analysis suggests that the spatial differentiation in the ability to restrict everyday mobility in response to a national lockdown is an important topic for future research. •Uses anonymised and aggregated GDPR-compliant Call Detail Records.•Analyses reduction in everyday mobility in England in response to national lockdown.•Socioeconomic status is strongly associated with mobility reductions.•The link of mobility reductions with socioeconomic status varies in England.•Potentially relevant to understanding spatial inequalities in COVID-19 infection.