Laura Altweck1, Stefanie Hahm2, Holger Muehlan2, Tobias Gfesser3, Christine Ulke3, Sven Speerforck3, Georg Schomerus3, Manfred E Beutel4, Elmar Brähler4, Silke Schmidt2. 1. Department of Health and Prevention, University of Greifswald, Robert-Blum-Str. 13, 17489, Greifswald, Germany. laura.altweck@uni-greifswald.de. 2. Department of Health and Prevention, University of Greifswald, Robert-Blum-Str. 13, 17489, Greifswald, Germany. 3. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Leipzig University Medical Center, Liebigstraße 18, Haus B, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. 4. Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: While a strong negative impact of unemployment on health has been established, the present research examined the lesser studied interplay of gender, social context and job loss on health trajectories. METHODS: Data from the German Socio-Economic Panel was used, which provided a representative sample of 6838 participants. Using latent growth modelling the effects of gender, social context (East vs. West Germans), unemployment (none, short-term or long-term), and their interactions were examined on health (single item measures of self-rated health and life satisfaction respectively). RESULTS: Social context in general significantly predicted the trajectories of self-rated health and life satisfaction. Most notably, data analysis revealed that West German women reported significantly lower baseline values of self-rated health following unemployment and did not recover to the levels of their East German counterparts. Only long-term, not short-term unemployment was related to lower baseline values of self-rated health, whereas, in relation to baseline values of life satisfaction, both types of unemployment had a similar negative effect. CONCLUSIONS: In an economic crisis, individuals who already carry a higher burden, and not only those most directly affected economically, may show the greatest health effects.
BACKGROUND: While a strong negative impact of unemployment on health has been established, the present research examined the lesser studied interplay of gender, social context and job loss on health trajectories. METHODS: Data from the German Socio-Economic Panel was used, which provided a representative sample of 6838 participants. Using latent growth modelling the effects of gender, social context (East vs. West Germans), unemployment (none, short-term or long-term), and their interactions were examined on health (single item measures of self-rated health and life satisfaction respectively). RESULTS: Social context in general significantly predicted the trajectories of self-rated health and life satisfaction. Most notably, data analysis revealed that West German women reported significantly lower baseline values of self-rated health following unemployment and did not recover to the levels of their East German counterparts. Only long-term, not short-term unemployment was related to lower baseline values of self-rated health, whereas, in relation to baseline values of life satisfaction, both types of unemployment had a similar negative effect. CONCLUSIONS: In an economic crisis, individuals who already carry a higher burden, and not only those most directly affected economically, may show the greatest health effects.
Entities:
Keywords:
Gender; Growth modelling; Health; Life satisfaction; Panel data; Social context; Unemployment
Authors: Anne Hammarström; Per E Gustafsson; Mattias Strandh; Pekka Virtanen; Urban Janlert Journal: Scand J Public Health Date: 2011-03 Impact factor: 3.021