Table 1 Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, loss of income, and financial difficulty in acquiring food during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, 2022–2023 (n = 360)

Gender

 Male

207

57.5

 Female

151

41.9

 Transgender person

2

0.6

Race/Color

 Black/Brown

205

56.9

 White

52

14.4

 Yellow

51

14.2

 Indigenous

42

11.7

 No declaration

10

2.8

Age

 From 18 to 29 years old

104

28.9

 30 to 59 years old

248

68.9

 60 years or older

8

2.2

Marital Status

 Single

195

54.2

 Married or in a stable union

147

40.8

 Divorced or legally separated

13

3.6

 Widowed

5

1.4

Occupation/Employment

 Unemployed

174

48.3

 Informal/secret

57

15.8

 Self-employed

42

11.7

 Private employee

37

10.3

 Micro Entrepreneur

20

5.6

 Public employee

7

1.9

 Student

7

1.9

 Domestic employee

2

0.6

 Entrepreneur

1

0.3

 Farmer Family

1

0.3

 Others

12

3.3

Resides in a territory of social vulnerability

 Yes

338

93.9

 No

22

6.1

Housing

 Shelter

160

44.4

 Rented

154

42.8

 Owned

23

6.4

 Sold

15

4.2

 Street

7

1.9

 Other

1

0.3

Schooling

 Secondary incomplete or complete

173

48.1

 Elementary School incomplete or complete

92

25.6

 College incomplete or more

80

22.2

 No schooling

15

4.2

Monthly family income

 No income

150

41.7

 Less than 1 minimum wage

113

31.4

 From 1 to 2 minimum wages

51

14.2

 I prefer not to inform

17

4.7

 Above 3 minimum wages

12

3.3

 I do not know

9

2.5

 From 2 to 3 minimum wages

7

1.9

 NA^a

1

0.3

Receives some government assistance

 Yes

56

15.6

 No

304

84.4

Uses SUS

 Yes

333

92.5

 No

26

7.2

 NA^a

1

0,3

Has a chronic illness

 Yes

314

87,2

 No

45

12.5

 NA^a

1

0.3

Lost income during the COVID-19 pandemic

 Had no income

102

28.3

 Partially lost

91

25.3

 I totally lost

91

25.3

 Did not lose

67

18.6

 I prefer not to answer

8

2.2

 NA^a

1

0.3

Did you have or do you have financial difficulty to buy food during the pandemic of COVID-19?

 I have always had financial difficulty

159

44.2

 I had no financial difficulty and now I have

77

21.4

 I never had financial difficulties

58

16.1

 I had financial difficulty and no longer have any

43

11.9

 I prefer not to answer

23

6.4

Compared to the period before COVID-19, how have you felt most of the time?

 I am more agitated, anxious or tense

  No

283

78.6

  Yes

77

21.4

I am more irritated

 No

310

86.1

 Yes

50

13.9

I am sadder, more discouraged, or cry more easily

 No

296

82.2

 Yes

64

17.8

I am lonelier

 No

310

86.1

 Yes

50

13.9

Had a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 before or after the vaccination

 No

281

78.0

 Yes

79

22.0