Relationship between Unemployment and Mental Health

Background of the Study 

The unemployment rate in America is significantly rising, affecting the overall economy. The unemployment rate crossed the 10% margin in 2010 and has been continuously rising in the past few years (Bartley, 2018). The effect of unemployment on health has been the subject of multiple epidemiological studies. According to previous studies, the mortality rate among unemployed individuals was 25% higher as compared to workers in equivalent socioeconomic level (Petros et al., 2015). For every 1% increase in unemployment, there is a 0.8% increase in incidences of suicide among people aged below 65 years (Petros et al., 2015). Unemployment has been known to be one of the contributing factors to high mortality rate, particularly through suicide and deaths caused by alcohol use. Aside from income, employment has multiple non-financial benefits, including a structured time, social status and identity, social contact, and collective purpose, among other benefits ( Kamerāde et al., 2018 ). However, despite the acquisition of the educational qualification, there is no guarantee of individual security employment due to the limited demand compared to the surplus supply of labor (Gustafsson, 2016). The result of unemployment, which includes loss of the pecuniary and non-pecuniary work benefits, affects both the unemployed person and their household and thus causing depressive symptoms and other mental health issues. 

Mental health is essential as it includes the cognitive, behavioral, and the emotional health of people. It concerns how individuals feel, reason, and act. According to Eisend & Kuss (2019), good mental health is a state in which there is social maturity or normality of both emotion and behaviors, and thus the non-appearance of mental or behavioral disorder. It is a state of psychological wellbeing where an individual can attain pleasing incorporation of one’s primeval drives tolerable to not only oneself but also one’s social ambience, which is a suitable balance between work and leisure pursuits. In 2015, an estimate of 9.8 million individuals above 18 years had a serious mental disorder, which represents 4.8% of all-American adults. Pre-existing mental health issues have been cited as a risk factor for suicide as people with psychological problems are exposed to increased risk of suicide. Considering evidence from previous studies, mental disorder acts as a pathway or an intermediary between unemployment and suicide. Changes to mental health status as a consequence of unemployment are consistent with theories of social causation, which suggests changes in employment lead to a poor health outcome. 

Problem Statement 

There is a relationship between unemployment and poor health; unemployment has been linked to mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, stress, as well as chronic diseases (Farre et al., 2018). Thern et al. (2017) showed that unemployed individuals had an adjusted relative risk of 2.10 for both depression and anxiety compared to those who had not recently been unemployed. In addition, it was evident that individuals who had more than 37 months of unemployment were more prone to depression and anxiety than when they were employed. According to a study conducted by Drydakis (2015), there is a positive correlation between employment and better mental health, effective self-esteem, self-confidence and happiness. The current study attempts to investigate the effects of unemployment on self-reported health and mental health status. 

Significance of the Study 

Although previous works have successfully developed a link between mental health and unemployment, these studies have failed to justify in what way works, and unemployment contributed to mental health problems and instability (Farre et al., 2018). In addition, there are many reported cases of mental disorders and health issues with suicide incidences increasing significantly since the turn of the 21 st century. Besides, owing to the poor economic conditions, the rate of unemployment has significantly increased. It is, therefore, essential to determine the extent of the impact of unemployment on mental health. In addition, the study will explore the effect of the environment on individuals’ mental health. Therefore, the outcome of the study will help both the health sector and the labor market in determining the extent of the effect of unemployment on mental health and thus find potential solutions to the case. The outcome of the study will help in the formulation of a hypothesis and the establishment of a temporal relationship between unemployment and health (Drydakis, 2015). 

Theory and Literature Review 

The available literature on the consequences of unemployment is closely related to the available material on the consequences of job loss, particularly when investigating the causal effects (Marcus, 2013). Studies show that employment can have a serious negative impact on health and mental health indicators. In a meta-analysis of 237 cross-sectional and 87 longitudinal studies, Paul et al. (2009) estimate that unemployed persons exhibit a greater level of stress as compared to employed people. In addition, there is a strong negative correlation between a person’s mental and general health and unemployment. Based on the commonly used theories in the epidemiological study of unemployment, there is an agreement that unemployment can cause disastrous psychological effects on an individual’s mental well-being. Drydakis (2015) also suggests that the loss of income due to unemployment might result in reduced investment in health-enhancing goods and consequently leading to health and mental health deterioration. Unemployment can cause restricted access to medical health care and thus leading to higher mortality rates. 

In addition, due to higher stress vulnerability among unemployed individuals, these individuals tend to develop high-risk lifestyle behaviors such as unhealthy eating habits, smoking, and alcohol use (Drydakis, 2015). These lifestyle behaviors are linked to health status deterioration. After losing a job, a person may resort to these negative health behaviors as a way of coping with the stress of losing a social role and social networks. According to the deprivation model and the vitamin model, which are concerned with the psychological effect of unemployment, unemployment exceedingly frustrates the human desire for self-directedness. Furthermore, other studies have suggested that unemployed individuals may develop mental health disorders due to the loss of certain functions of employment, including time structure, social contact, a collective purpose, goals, physical security, and valued social position (Drydakis, 2015). Moreover, unemployed individuals may develop acute and chronic stress because the decrease in economic resources can be very stressful for them as well as their families. 

Aside from a few notable exceptions, research on unemployment and suicide suggest mental illness is a confounding variable that precedes unemployment and suicide (Milner et al., 2014). However, in some papers, scholars have suggested the need to treat mental health conditions as possible causes rather than the outcome of unemployment. Nonetheless, there are no previous papers that give detailed evidence of the implicit causal assumptions about the role of mental illness in the scientific study of unemployment and suicide. Milner et al. (2014) also investigated the temporal relationships between the development of mental health problems in relation to the loss of a job and subsequent suicide. However, in the study, the group of researchers also investigated the influence based on sex, mental health measure, as well as the extent of exposure to unemployment. While factors such as a person’s sex did not have a significant impact on the extent of mental illness on an unemployed individual, other factors such as the length of exposure to unemployment and mental health measures contributed to the level of mental distress as a result of unemployment (Milner et al., 2014). The longer a person is exposed to unemployment, the more serious the mental health condition becomes. Besides, when these individuals decide to take mental health measures such as visiting a psychiatrist, they are more likely to manage their mental health as opposed to individuals who do not take measures. 

In another study that studied workers facing unemployment, indicators of health and economic strain were examined. During the initial stage of unemployment, people tend to develop feelings of depression, anxiety, and somaticism as a response. While these indicators disappeared among some workers, they continued to manifest even after unemployment ended. In such a case, the psychiatric symptoms were chronic. While the involuntary loss of employment results in higher levels of psychiatric symptoms, the acquisition of another job or reemployment resulted in the reduction of strains observed as compared to during the unemployment period. Investigation dealing with the psychological consequences of unemployment have demonstrated that inpatient first admission to hospital is significantly related to the economic downturn for low-status occupation groups. Also, there is a significant relationship between hospital readmission rates for psychiatric conditions and unemployment. 

In summary, according to the available literature, there is a correlation between unemployment and the negative consequence of mental health. People who are exposed to unemployment tend to be more distressed compared to individuals with employment. The high level of negative psychiatric symptoms is mainly as a result of the loss of income. Other non-pecuniary factors such as loss of structured time, social network, goals, physical security, and collective purpose, among other factors also contributed to the higher levels of mental disorder among people without jobs. Furthermore, due to the reduction of economic resources, the level of investment in health might be reduced. That, combined with the development of high-risk lifestyle behaviors lead to the deterioration in mental health and general health. Despite the existence of substantial material on the relationship between unemployment and mental health, the literature on the extent of the impact of unemployment on mental health is still inadequate. Studies examining the effects of the length of exposure, pre-existing mental conditions, and mental health measures on the development of mental disorders have not been explored sufficiently. 

Hypothesis 

Based on previous theoretical considerations and empirical results, the hypothesis related to the relationship between unemployment and mental health is: 

Unemployment leads to the development of mental health disorders 

The null hypothesis for the study is: 

Unemployment lacks a correlation with the development of negative mental health conditions 

The Current Study 

The goal of the current study was to examine the role of unemployment in the understanding evaluation of mental health issues among the unemployed and working population, and how the environment around them impact their mental health. Specifically, it was expected that unemployment would lead to the development of mental health disorder. 

Methods 

Design 

The research design that will be used in the research is the descriptive research design. Illustrative designs are essential in this study because it helps researchers to get the best results and explanation about the different aspects of the study. In addition, the descriptive research design is vital in this study because it helps in explaining issues such as how, why, and when. These questions are essential for describing the research topic. In the current study, the research topic is focused on explaining the effect of employment and unemployment on human mental health. Previous studies provide significant evidence to suggest that employment or unemployment has an impact, either positive or negative, on a person’s mental health status. Therefore, the application of qualitative research design will help provide in-depth analysis and an understanding of the effect of unemployment and how it impacts on an individual’s mental health. A descriptive research design will analyze the two aspects, which are the employment-related and unemployment-related mental health effects. The pressures in these two will be identified, and a direct relationship presented to explain the correlation between them and mental health. 

The study will incorporate mixed research methods. Mixed research methods will aid in the process of data collection, as participants in the survey will be sampled and handled effectively. By applying mixed research methods, the research will employ both qualitative and quantitative methods. The two methods will be combined to makes sure that there is an extraction of valid data that can be used in making reliable conclusion and recommendations. The descriptive research method will act as a precursor for the subsequent quantitative study. Qualitative data will be collected using interviews and questionnaires. The open-ended questionnaire will be an effective tool in collecting people’s opinion on the effect of employment and unemployment on human mental health. Interviews and questionnaires will be used interchangeably or simultaneously, depending on the respondent. 

Participants 

The study will involve 200 participants. The participants will be split into two equal groups. The first half of the participants will come from the employed population. These are individuals with both formal and informal employments that can offer provide stable income. They can either be full-time or part-time employees. The formally employed participants in the study will be randomly selected with the aid of their organizations and employers. As for the informal participants, including store owners, the research team will approach them and request them to partake in the study. Therefore, while the self-employed participants will be recruited using the convenience sampling method, the participants employed by a formal organization will be sampled randomly. The second group will be made up of unemployed participants. An online advertisement will be conducted to invite them to participate in the study. The group of unemployed individuals will help in the collection of data about the impact of unemployment of their mental health. The researcher will also use a purposive sampling method to get participants of the study that will give the accurate and true reflection of the effects that work, and unemployment causes to the mental health of individuals (Eisend & Kuss, 2019). For a participant to be allowed to participate in the study, he or she must have met the set requirements. First, every participant must be 18 years or older. These individuals must possess the cognitive abilities to make a reasonable judgment without influence during the study. For a participant to be allowed to join the unemployed group of participants, he or she must have been unemployed for at least six months. The employed participants must have served in an organization for over one year. While gender will not be the biggest consideration during sample selection, the study will attempt to find a balance between male and female participants to increase the credibility of the outcome. At no time should the male participant be more than two-thirds of the total number of participants or vice versa. 

Procedure 

The data collection process will run for a period of one month. The primary experimental group is the group of unemployed individuals who will respond to the effect of unemployment on their mental health. The second category with employed participants will act as the control group for the experiment. Upon the completion of sample selection, each participant will be required to undergo an interview or fill in a questionnaire or both. Questionnaires will be sent to each participant through the postal service. The participants will be required to fill and send back the questionnaire within two weeks. In case of any difficulties in filling in the questionnaire, participants can call to make inquiries. On the other hand, interviews will be used to make follow up on an unclear response in the questionnaires. In addition, participants can also choose to respond to the research questions through sit-down or over-the-phone interviews. The questions for the interview will be the same as those asked in the questionnaires. The questionnaire will incorporate both open-ended and closed-ended questions. The interview will also be the exclusive tool for collecting data from the management individuals who are in organizations to help in data generation and determination on how work and unemployment affect the mental health of individuals in society. 

Measures 

Since the current study attempts to determine the relationship between unemployment and human mental health, the primary measures in the study will aim to determine the consequences of unemployment and how they lead to the development of mental disorders. To determine the economic effect of unemployment, the questionnaires will have a closed-ended question to approximate the income losses by these individuals. Then, in order to determine the effect of employment or unemployment on mental health, the participants will be required to give answers about the mental health by gauging their level of stress and distress as well as any high-risk behavior adopted due to unemployment. Finally, to determine the correlation between the length of exposure to unemployment and mental health, participants will be asked about the duration of their unemployment status. 

Variables 

The independent variable for the study is employment. The possession of employment or the lack of it will affect the dependent variables for the study, which are stress and anxiety. The level of stress or anxiety will be measured using a Likert scale. 

Results 

The primary experimental group was made up of 100 people who were unemployed. The control group, on the other hand, was made up of 100 employed participants. The 200 participants averaged 38 years. 63 out of 200 participants were women. Both employed and unemployed participants were required to estimate their level of stress. While the stress level among people who were unemployed was high, the level of stress among employed individuals was relatively low. In another study, the length of exposure was compared to the level of stress. Participants who had been exposed to longer durations of employments were more anxious and distressed as compared with those who were newly unemployed. People who have stayed out of business for longer duration had developed a sense of hopelessness. 

Discussion 

Based on the abovementioned results, there is a positive correlation between unemployment and stress or anxiety. Through the loss of employment, a person loses more than the financial benefits. Losing social network, a sense of purpose, and goals may make an individual vulnerable and put them in a weak state of mind. It was also concluded that there was a positive relationship between the lengths of unemployment to the level of stress. The impact of unemployment on mental health was more severe to individuals who did not seek any medical assistance in terms of psychiatric visits or counselling. 

Conclusion 

According to previous studies, there is a positive correlation between unemployment and the deterioration of mental health. A person is more vulnerable to stress and anxiety when he or she is unemployed. Using standard testing procedures, the results of the study, which inferred that unemployment had a negative impact on human mental health, with people who have been exposed to unemployment for a longer period being the hard-hit, was arrived at proving that the study hypothesis that unemployment leads to mental health disorder is true. 

References  

Bartley, M. (2018). Unemployment and mental health. Oxford Textbook of Public Mental Health , 141-50. 

Drydakis, N. (2015). The effect of unemployment on self-reported health and mental health in Greece from 2008 to 2013: a longitudinal study before and during the financial crisis.  Social Science & Medicine ,  128 , 43-51. 

Eisend, M., & Kuss, A. (2019). Research Methodology in Marketing . Springer International Publishing. 

Farré, L., Fasani, F., & Mueller, H. (2018). Feeling useless: the effect of unemployment on mental health in the Great Recession. IZA Journal of Labor Economics , 7 (1), 8. 

Kamerāde, D., & Bennett, M. R. (2018). Rewarding work: cross-national differences in benefits, volunteering during unemployment, well-being and mental health. Work, Employment and Society , 32 (1), 38-56. 

Milner, A., Page, A., & Lamontagne, A. D. (2014). Cause and effect in studies on unemployment, mental health and suicide: a meta-analytic and conceptual review.  Psychological medicine ,  44 (5), 909-917. 

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Paul, K. I, and Moser, K. (2009). Unemployment Impairs Mental Health: Meta-Analyses. Journal of Vocational Behavior , 74: 264-282. 

Thern, E., de Munter, J., Hemmingsson, T., & Rasmussen, F. (2017). Long-term effects of youth unemployment on mental health: does an economic crisis make a difference? . Epidemiol Community Health , 71 (4), 344-349. 

Van Rijn, R. M., Carlier, B. E., Schuring, M., & Burdorf, A. (2016). Work as a treatment? The effectiveness of re-employment programmes for unemployed persons with severe mental health problems on health and quality of life: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Occupational and Environmental Medicine , 73 (4), 275-279.