Abstract
Purpose
The current paper aims to investigate the role of mental health in determining future employment status. Much of the previous
longitudinal and prospective research has focused on how unemployment adversely influences mental health, while the reverse
causal direction has received much less attention.
longitudinal and prospective research has focused on how unemployment adversely influences mental health, while the reverse
causal direction has received much less attention.
Methods
This study uses five waves of data from 5,846 respondents in the HILDA survey, a nationally representative household panel
survey conducted annually since 2001. Prospective analyses followed a group of respondents who were not unemployed at baseline
across four subsequent years and investigated whether baseline mental health was associated with subsequent unemployment.
survey conducted annually since 2001. Prospective analyses followed a group of respondents who were not unemployed at baseline
across four subsequent years and investigated whether baseline mental health was associated with subsequent unemployment.
Results
Baseline mental health status was a significant predictor of overall time spent unemployed for both men and women. Decomposing
this overall effect identified sex differences. For women but not men, baseline mental health was associated with risk of
experiencing any subsequent unemployment whereas for men but not women mental health was associated with the duration of unemployment
amongst those who experienced unemployment.
this overall effect identified sex differences. For women but not men, baseline mental health was associated with risk of
experiencing any subsequent unemployment whereas for men but not women mental health was associated with the duration of unemployment
amongst those who experienced unemployment.
Conclusions
By following a group of respondents who were not unemployed over time, we showed that poor mental health predicted subsequent
unemployment. On average, men and women who experienced symptoms of common mental disorders spent greater time over the next
4 years unemployed than those with better mental health but there were sex differences in the nature of this effect. These
findings highlight the importance of mental health in the design and delivery of employment and welfare policy.
unemployment. On average, men and women who experienced symptoms of common mental disorders spent greater time over the next
4 years unemployed than those with better mental health but there were sex differences in the nature of this effect. These
findings highlight the importance of mental health in the design and delivery of employment and welfare policy.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-9
- DOI 10.1007/s00127-011-0409-1
- Authors
- Peter Butterworth, Centre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
- Liana S. Leach, Centre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
- Jane Pirkis, Centre for Health Policy, Programs and Economics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
- Margaret Kelaher, Centre for Health Policy, Programs and Economics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
- Journal Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
- Online ISSN 1433-9285
- Print ISSN 0933-7954