Did COVID-19 enlarge spatial disparities in population dynamics? A comparative, multivariate approach for Italy

A short-term issue that has been occasionally investigated in the current literature is if (and, eventually, how) population dynamics (directly or indirectly) driven by COVID-19 pan demic have contributed to enlarge regional divides in specifc demographic processes and dimensions. To verify this assumption, our study run an exploratory multivariate analysis of ten indicators representative of diferent demographic phenomena (fertility, mortality, nuptiality, internal and international migration) and the related population outcomes (natu ral balance, migration balance, total growth). We developed a descriptive analysis of the statistical distribution of the ten demographic indicators using eight metrics that assess for mation (and consolidation) of spatial divides, controlling for shifts over time in both central tendency, dispersion, and distributional shape regimes. All indicators were made available over 20 years (2002–2021) at a relatively detailed spatial scale (107 NUTS-3 provinces) in Italy. COVID-19 pandemic exerted an impact on Italian population because of intrinsic (e.g. a particularly older population age structure compared with other advanced econo mies) and extrinsic (e.g. the early start of the pandemic spread compared with the neigh boring European countries) factors. For such reasons, Italy may represent a sort of ‘worst’ demographic scenario for other countries afected by COVID-19 and the results of this empirical study can be informative when delineating policy measures (with both economic and social impact) able to mitigate the efect of pandemics on demographic balance and improve the adaptation capacity of local societies to future pandemic’s crises.