The Gender Impact of Unemployment on Mental Health: A Micro Analysis for the United States

Aydıner-Avşar, Nursel; Piovani, Chiara

doi:10.1080/07360932.2018.1535991

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Historically, males were the sole breadwinners in heterosexual households, making their level of income deterministic of the household’s wealth. This notion is challenged in present-day US households which follow a dual-breadwinner model as egalitarian views on gender roles are becoming more prevalent and traditionalist views are declining [ 47 , 48 ]. Despite these changes, females continue to receive unequal pay for equal work compared to their male counterparts [ 49 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Decreased odds of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation with higher education, depending on sex and employment status

Tassone,

Duffy,

Dunnett

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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Background Higher education is associated with reduced depressive symptoms and requires investment without guaranteed employment. It remains unclear how sex and employment status together contribute to the association between mental health and educational attainment. This study investigated the role of sex and employment status together in the associations of 1) depressive symptoms and 2) suicidal ideation with education. Methods Using 2005–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, cross-sectional analyses were conducted on individuals ≥20 years who completed the depression questionnaire and reported their employment status and highest level of education. Survey-weighted multivariable logistic regression models were used to explore how depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation are associated with educational attainment in an analysis stratified by sex and employment status. To account for multiple testing, a significance level of a < 0.01 was used. Results Participants (n = 23,669) had a weighted mean age of 43.25 (SD = 13.97) years and 47% were female. Employed females (aOR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.32, 0.69), unemployed females (aOR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.29, 0.75), and unemployed males (aOR = 0.31, 95% CI 0.17, 0.56) with college education had reduced odds of depressive symptoms compared to those with high school education. Employed females with college education also had reduced suicidal ideation odds compared to those with high school education (aOR = 0.41, 95% CI 0.22, 0.76). Conclusions Females demonstrated significant associations between depressive symptoms and education, regardless of employment status, whereas males demonstrated an association only if unemployed. Employed females, in particular, demonstrated a significant association between suicidal ideation and education. These findings may inform future research investigating the underlying mechanisms and etiology of these sex-employment status differences in the association between mental health and education.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Decreased odds of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation with higher education, depending on sex and employment status

Tassone,

Duffy,

Dunnett

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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“…Importantly, the female work participation rate in Catalonia was low compared to other western states at this time and classical gender roles were very prevalent, with men being meant to provide for families. Aydiner-Avsar and colleagues examined the same association again in 2019 in the United States and found no difference between the genders with respect to the impact of being unemployed on mental health ( 131 ). They explain their finding with the dual breadwinner model, the societal norm that men and women are equally responsible to earn money.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Scoping Review and Narrative Synthesis Comparing the Constructs of Social Determinants of Health and Social Determinants of Mental Health: Matryoshka or Two Independent Constructs?

2022

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BackgroundMany health research policies invoke the construct of Social Determinants of Health, and more recently the construct of Social Determinants of Mental Health. While frequently referred to in the literature, it is unclear how these constructs relate to each other. Some commentators conceptualise the Determinants of Mental Health as a subgroup of the Determinants of general Health and others describe the Determinants of Mental Health as an autonomous construct. The current review investigates the relationship between both constructs.MethodsComprehensive literature searches were conducted for both constructs separately within seven electronic databases. A template analysis was conducted to compare the conceptualisations of the Social Determinants of Health and the Social Determinants of Mental Health.ResultsOf 4250 search results, 50 papers (25 for each construct) fulfilled our inclusion criteria and were incorporated into a narrative synthesis. Discussions of the Social Determinants of both general and Mental Health listed the same determinants. Both constructs were conceptualised on multiple levels and factors. Stress and health behaviour were also described as mediators for both constructs. The constructs differed, however, with respect to two components of their aetiologies and epistemologies. First, the causal mechanisms invoked for the Determinants of general Health followed predominantly direct pathways, in contrast to indirect pathways for the Social Determinants of Mental Health. Second, the Social Determinants of Mental Health were reported to influence mental health mediated through individuals’ perceptions and appraisal processes. Appraisal processes were considered of far less relevance in the construct of Social Determinants of Health.ConclusionThe constructs of Social Determinants of Health and Social Determinants of Mental Health align in many respects but differ on important aetiological and epistemological grounds. Similar social factors are considered important, but whereas physical health conditions are primarily conceptualised to be driven by objective realities, mental health is explained mainly in terms of perception of these realities. This differentiation between physical and mental health is in line with a modern understanding of mind-body-dualism, the naturalistic dualism after Chalmers. Differentiating the Social Determinants of Mental Health from the Social Determinants of Health might bear relevance for policy making and research.

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“…Recent evidence based on a systematic review of the literature showed an association between unemployment among young people and mental health, although the causal relationship is less clear [ 46 ]. So, according to previous evidence, it is plausible that unemployment may impact women’s mental health [ 47 , 48 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Period poverty and mental health in a representative sample of young women in Barcelona, Spain

et al. 2023

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Background The intersection between poverty and mental health is clear. Period poverty, understood as the lack of access to menstrual products, has been gaining attention especially among low and middle-income countries as an overlooked aspect of gendered poverty. Less is known about the incidence of period poverty in high-income countries and its association with mental health. The purpose of this study is to examine this association in a representative sample of young women living in an urban setting in southern Europe. Methods This is a cross-sectional study. Data were obtained from a representative survey of individuals aged 15 to 34 in the city of Barcelona (Spain), with a sample group of 647 young women. Subjects were selected through a systematic stratified random sampling method. A proportional quota sampling was used. The information was registered using CAPI data collection method. Period poverty was measured by a combination of three questions about the lack of access or misuse of menstrual products for economic reasons. The GHQ-12 was used to measure the risk of poor mental health. The analysis was carried out using multivariable logistic regression. Results From our sample, 15.3% of young women reported having experienced period poverty. Higher odds of poor mental health were estimated for women facing period poverty (AOR = 1.85 p < 0.05). This effect is statistically significant after controlling by their income status and level of deprivation. Young women living in poorer households have a higher probability of poor mental health than those living in high-income households (AOR = 0.47 p < 0.05). Finally, material deprivation was associated to an increased risk of poor mental health among young women reporting period poverty (AOR = 2.59 p < 0.01). Conclusion We found that a considerable number of young women living in an urban setting in a high-income country cannot afford menstrual products, and this may have an impact on their mental wellbeing. The relationship between period poverty and respondents’ mental health is significant when controlling for factors known to confer an increased risk of poor mental health. If confirmed by further research, the public health burden of poor mental health in young women could be reduced by policy-level interventions to improve access to menstrual products.

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The Gender Impact of Unemployment on Mental Health: A Micro Analysis for the United States

Cited by 8 publications

References 28 publications

Decreased odds of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation with higher education, depending on sex and employment status

Decreased odds of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation with higher education, depending on sex and employment status

A Scoping Review and Narrative Synthesis Comparing the Constructs of Social Determinants of Health and Social Determinants of Mental Health: Matryoshka or Two Independent Constructs?

Period poverty and mental health in a representative sample of young women in Barcelona, Spain

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