Kim M Kiely1, Liana S Leach, Sarah C Olesen, Peter Butterworth. 1. Centre for Research on Ageing Health and Wellbeing, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia, kim.kiely@anu.edu.au.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Poor mental health has been consistently linked with the experience of financial hardship and poverty. However, the temporal association between these factors must be clarified before hardship alleviation can be considered as an effective mental health promotion and prevention strategy. We examined whether the longitudinal associations between financial hardship and mental health problems are best explained by an individual's current or prior experience of hardship, or their underlying vulnerability. METHODS: We analysed nine waves (years: 2001-2010) of nationally representative panel data from the Household, Income, and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey (n = 11,134). Two components of financial hardship (deprivation and cash-flow problems) and income poverty were coded into time-varying and time-invariant variables reflecting the contemporaneous experience of hardship (i.e., current), the prior experience of hardship (lagged/12 months), and any experience of hardship during the study period (vulnerability). Multilevel, mixed-effect logistic regression models tested the associations between these measures and mental health. RESULTS: Respondents who reported deprivation and cash-flow problems had greater risk of mental health problems than those who did not. Individuals vulnerable to hardship had greater risk of mental health problems, even at the times they did not report hardship. However, their risk of mental health problems was greater on occasions when they did experience hardship. CONCLUSIONS: The results are consistent with the argument that economic and social programmes that address and prevent hardship may promote community mental health.
PURPOSE: Poor mental health has been consistently linked with the experience of financial hardship and poverty. However, the temporal association between these factors must be clarified before hardship alleviation can be considered as an effective mental health promotion and prevention strategy. We examined whether the longitudinal associations between financial hardship and mental health problems are best explained by an individual's current or prior experience of hardship, or their underlying vulnerability. METHODS: We analysed nine waves (years: 2001-2010) of nationally representative panel data from the Household, Income, and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey (n = 11,134). Two components of financial hardship (deprivation and cash-flow problems) and income poverty were coded into time-varying and time-invariant variables reflecting the contemporaneous experience of hardship (i.e., current), the prior experience of hardship (lagged/12 months), and any experience of hardship during the study period (vulnerability). Multilevel, mixed-effect logistic regression models tested the associations between these measures and mental health. RESULTS: Respondents who reported deprivation and cash-flow problems had greater risk of mental health problems than those who did not. Individuals vulnerable to hardship had greater risk of mental health problems, even at the times they did not report hardship. However, their risk of mental health problems was greater on occasions when they did experience hardship. CONCLUSIONS: The results are consistent with the argument that economic and social programmes that address and prevent hardship may promote community mental health.
Authors: Felice N Jacka; Nicola J Reavley; Anthony F Jorm; John W Toumbourou; Andrew J Lewis; Michael Berk Journal: Aust N Z J Psychiatry Date: 2013-06-24 Impact factor: 5.744
Authors: Eero Lahelma; Mikko Laaksonen; Pekka Martikainen; Ossi Rahkonen; Sirpa Sarlio-Lähteenkorva Journal: Soc Sci Med Date: 2006-05-09 Impact factor: 4.634
Authors: Jennifer L Ervin; Allison Milner; Anne M Kavanagh; Tania L King Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2021-01-07 Impact factor: 4.328
Authors: Yazan A Al-Ajlouni; Su Hyun Park; Steven A Safren; Noah T Kreski; Brian Elbel; Andrew Trinidad; Denton Callander; Dustin T Duncan Journal: J Gay Lesbian Ment Health Date: 2020-03-16
Authors: Calliope Holingue; Luther G Kalb; Kira E Riehm; Daniel Bennett; Arie Kapteyn; Cindy B Veldhuis; Renee M Johnson; M Daniele Fallin; Frauke Kreuter; Elizabeth A Stuart; Johannes Thrul Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2020-09-17 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Mayra A Gomez; Noel Bairey Merz; Jo-Ann Eastwood; Carl J Pepine; Eileen M Handberg; Vera Bittner; Puja K Mehta; David S Krantz; Viola Vaccarino; Wafia Eteiba; Thomas Rutledge Journal: Stress Health Date: 2020-02-07 Impact factor: 3.519