The Meaning of Work and Unemployment : Implications for Mental Health

Tausky, Curt; Piedmont, Eugene B.

doi:10.1177/002076406801400105

Cited by 11 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Thus, the results of the present study indicate that long-term unemployment not only may cause feelings of anxiety, depression, and hopelessness, which is also shown in other studies (2,13,30) but may also influence a person's immune system. These reactions were not mediated by changes in consumption of alcohol and/or tobacco as reported by subjects, since there were no significant time-group interaction.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…The present study indicates that the strain of losing one's job not only has psychologic (13,30,41) and endocrine (5-11) effects but also leads to changes in immunologic competence after a period of slightly less than 1 year. Thus, there appears to be a significant time lag following a stressful life experience before immune functions are affected.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 57%

“…Further, a critical review of the research on the relationship between job loss and physical health reveals that there are insufficient data on possible physiologic pathogenic mechanisms (8,9). A few studies on physiologic changes as a result of job loss have been undertaken, but the vast majority of studies have concentrated on the psychologic and social impacts of unemployment (2)(3)(4)(5)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Immune function in unemployed women.

Arnetz

Wasserman

Petrini

et al. 1987

Psychosomatic Medicine

187

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Immunologic effects of unemployment were prospectively studied in women over a period of 8 months. Subjects were classified into three groups depending on their employment history, and were studied concomitantly. Group A consisted of unemployed women who were recipients of traditional support from the Swedish welfare state. Group B was composed of unemployed women who were given the opportunity to participate in a psychosocial program, in addition to receiving the traditional unemployment benefits received by group A. Group C, the control, consisted of securely employed women. Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) reactivity of lymphocytes decreased significantly in both groups of unemployed women after 9 months of unemployment. The psychosocial program did not counteract this decrease. Reactivity to purified protein derivative (PPD) of tuberculin also decreased significantly in the unemployed subjects. No changes were observed in the securely employed women. There were no significant differences among the groups in T cell subpopulations, B cells, and serum cortisol. The data suggest that some aspects of the immune system may be altered at a specific time period following the loss of work. Further studies are needed to see if this effect is only temporary or more long lasting.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 57%