Identifying the financial status risk factors for single mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic

• Main Authors: Abd. Rahim @ Abd. Wahab, Husniyah, Zainal, Norlela, Sabri, Mohamad Fazli
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universiti Putra Malaysia 2021
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/97607/1/7.%20Identifying%20the%20Financial%20Status%20Risk%20Factors%20for%20Single%20Mothers%20During%20the%20COVID-19%20Pandemic.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/97607/; http://www.ijem.upm.edu.my/vol15no3/7.%20Identifying%20the%20Financial%20Status%20Risk%20Factors%20for%20Single%20Mothers%20During%20the%20COVID-19%20Pandemic.pdf

Many uncertainties occur across the population’s life cycle, especially among vulnerable groups. Macroeconomic and microeconomic factors, including events such as the COVID19 pandemic and socioeconomic characteristics, may impact households. This study identified the risk factors influencing the financial status of single mothers. The risk factors differentiated single mothers based on their financial status. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using simple random sampling that targeted 465 single mothers in the Malaysian state of Negeri Sembilan. The analysis of the 311 completed questionnaires resulted in income appearing as the highest risk factor, while other significant risk factors were; job sector, number of dependents and housing type. These factors significantly differentiated the sampled single mothers' financial status from the aspects of savings and financial well-being. Insufficient savings to endure the government imposed Movement Control Orders (MCO's), designed to limit the spread of COVID-19, strained them financially. Thus, financial assistance should be focused on single mothers with the following risk factors: those earning meagre incomes, working in the private sector or running their own businesses. Hence, this study identified the most financially at-risk single mother households vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic.