Higher education and psychological distress: A 27-year prospective cohort study in Sweden

Brännlund, Annica; Hammarström, Anne

doi:10.1177/1403494813511559

Cited by 18 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…These findings are similar to past research reporting a positive link between higher education and lower levels of psychological distress [29] or functional limitations [30]. When considering all other variables in the model, higher educational level had a significant and positive association with both good-to-excellent health status and with employment among cancer survivors.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Working with cancer: health and employment among cancer survivors

Clarke

Christ

Soler-Vilá

et al. 2015

Annals of Epidemiology

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. Abstract PurposeCancer affects a growing proportion of US workers. Factors contributing to whether they continue or return to work after cancer diagnosis include: age, physical and mental health, health insurance, education, and cancer site.The purpose of this study was to assess the complex relationships between health indicators and employment status for adult cancer survivors. MethodsWe analyzed pooled data from the 1997-2012 US National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Our sample included adults with a self-reported physician diagnosis of cancer (n = 24,810) and adults with no cancer history (n = 382,837). Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we evaluated the relationship between sociodemographic factors, cancer site, and physical and mental health indicators on the overall health and employment status among adults with a cancer history. ResultsThe overall model for cancer survivors fit the data well (χ 2 (374) = 3654.7, P < 0.001 (please make it 0.001 for all p values NOT .00l); comparative fit index = 0.98; root mean square error of approximation = 0.04). Although black cancer survivors were less likely to report good-to-excellent health, along with Hispanic survivors, they were more likely to continue to work after diagnosis compared with their white counterparts. Health insurance status and educational level were strongly and positively associated with health status and current employment. Age and time since diagnosis were not significantly associated with health status or employment, but there were significant differences by cancer site. ConclusionsA proportion of cancer survivors may continue to work because of employment-based health insurance despite reporting poor health and significant physical and mental health limitations. Acute and long-term health and social elsevier_AEP_7850

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Working with cancer: health and employment among cancer survivors

Clarke

Christ

Soler-Vilá

et al. 2015

Annals of Epidemiology

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“…Finally, our findings suggest that higher educational attainment is related to diminished distress. This is in line with Brännlund and Hammarström [ 3 ] who found that higher educational attainment is linked to diminished psychological distress, which can potentially be understood in light of the mechanisms of social and labour-market resources.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Stigma by association and family burden among family members of people with mental illness: the mediating role of coping

Sanden

Pryor

Stutterheim

et al. 2016

Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol

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PurposeWhen someone has a mental illness, family members may share the experience of stigma. Past research has established that family members’ experiences of stigma by association predict psychological distress and lower quality-of-life.MethodsThe present study, conducted with 503 family members of people with mental illness examined the prevalence of 14 different coping strategies. Of greater importance, we examined the role of these coping strategies as mediators of the relationships between stigma by association and family burden, on the one hand, and outcomes, such as psychological distress and quality-of-life, on the other.ResultsThe results showed that both perceived stigma by association and family burden are associated with greater psychological distress and lower quality-of-life, and that most coping strategies mediate these relationships.Conclusions Adaptive coping strategies were related to reduced negative outcomes, while most maladaptive coping strategies were related to enhanced negative outcomes. Implications for intervention development are discussed.

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“…Some researchers consider education to be a ‘social vaccine’ [ 49 – 51 ]. The educational effect on psychological distress can operate through access to social and labour-market resources [ 52 ]. In Ghana, individuals with higher education have access to better paid formal jobs and healthcare compared to those with no education [ 53 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The educational effect on psychological distress can operate through access to social and labour-market resources [ 52 ]. In Ghana, individuals with higher education have access to better paid formal jobs and healthcare compared to those with no education [ 53 ]. These privileges may buffer individuals against the adverse effects of psychological distress in urban poor communities[ 54 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Community and individual sense of trust and psychological distress among the urban poor in Accra, Ghana

et al. 2018

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BackgroundMental health disorders present significant health challenges in populations in sub Saharan Africa especially in deprived urban poor contexts. Some studies have suggested that in collectivistic societies such as most African societies people can draw on social capital to attenuate the effect of community stressors on their mental health. Global studies suggest the effect of social capital on mental disorders such as psychological distress is mixed, and emerging studies on the psychosocial characteristics of collectivistic societies suggest that mistrust and suspicion sometimes deprive people of the benefit of social capital. In this study, we argue that trust which is often measured as a component of social capital has a more direct effect on reducing community stressors in such deprived communities.MethodsData from the Urban Health and Poverty Survey (EDULINK Wave III) survey were used. The survey was conducted in 2013 in three urban poor communities in Accra: Agbogbloshie, James Town and Ussher Town. Psychological distress was measured with a symptomatic wellbeing scale. Participants’ perceptions of their neighbours’ willingness to trust, protect and assist others was used to measure community sense of trust. Participants’ willingness to ask for and receive help from neighbours was used to measure personal sense of trust. Demographic factors were controlled for. The data were analyzed using descriptive and multivariate regressions.ResultsThe mean level of psychological distress among the residents was 25.5 (SD 5.5). Personal sense of trust was 8.2 (SD 2.0), and that of community sense of trust was 7.5 (SD 2.8). While community level trust was not significant, personal sense of trust significantly reduced psychological distress (B = -.2016728, t = -2.59, p < 0.010). The other factors associated with psychological distress in this model were perceived economic standing, education and locality of residence.ConclusionThis study presents evidence that more trusting individuals are significantly less likely to be psychologically distressed within deprived urban communities in Accra. Positive intra and inter individual level variables such as personal level trust and perceived relative economic standing significantly attenuated the effect of psychological distress in communities with high level neighbourhood disorder in Accra.

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Higher education and psychological distress: A 27-year prospective cohort study in Sweden

Abstract: higher education is positively linked to less psychological distress, and the link can somewhat be understood through the mechanisms of social and labour-market resources.

Cited by 18 publications

References 25 publications

Working with cancer: health and employment among cancer survivors

Working with cancer: health and employment among cancer survivors

Stigma by association and family burden among family members of people with mental illness: the mediating role of coping

Community and individual sense of trust and psychological distress among the urban poor in Accra, Ghana

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