1
|
Kyriopoulos I, Vandoros S, Kawachi I. State-level economic uncertainty and cardiovascular disease deaths: evidence from the United States. Eur J Epidemiol 2023; 38:1175-1183. [PMID: 37966544 PMCID: PMC10663230 DOI: 10.1007/s10654-023-01076-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between economic recessions and cardiovascular mortality has been widely explored. However, there is limited evidence on whether economic uncertainty alone is linked to cardiovascular disease deaths. This study examines the association between economic uncertainty and mortality from diseases of the circulatory system in the United States. We obtained monthly state-level mortality data from 2008 to 2017 and used indices capturing economic uncertainty from national/international sources and local sources. Panel data modelling was used to account for unobserved time-invariant differences between the states. Our findings suggest that economic uncertainty is independently linked to cardiovascular mortality. Uncertainty arising from national/international sources is associated with cardiovascular deaths, whereas the respective index capturing uncertainty from state/local sources is not. Deaths respond asymmetrically with respect to uncertainty fluctuations - with high levels of uncertainty driving the association. One- and two-month lagged uncertainty levels are also associated with mortality. Several robustness checks further validate the baseline findings. Overall, economic uncertainty is an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality which appears to act as a psychosocial stressor and a short-term trigger. Public health strategies for cardiovascular disease need to consider factors driving economic uncertainty. Preventive measures and raising awareness can intensify in periods of economic uncertainty.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilias Kyriopoulos
- Department of Health Policy, The London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London, WC2A 2AE, UK.
| | - Sotiris Vandoros
- UCL Global Business School for Health, University College London, London, UK
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ichiro Kawachi
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Cambridge, UK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kawachi I, Kyriopoulos I, Vandoros S. Economic uncertainty and cardiovascular disease mortality. HEALTH ECONOMICS 2023; 32:1550-1560. [PMID: 36952311 DOI: 10.1002/hec.4678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have found a link between economic conditions, such as recessions and unemployment, and cardiovascular disease as well as other health outcomes. More recent research argues that economic uncertainty-independently of unemployment-can affect health outcomes. Using data from England and Wales, we study the association between fluctuations in economic uncertainty and cardiovascular disease mortality in the short term for the period 2001-2019. Controlling for several economic indicators (including unemployment), we find that economic uncertainty alone is strongly associated with deaths attributed to diseases of the circulatory system, ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease. Our findings highlight the short-term link between economic conditions and cardiovascular health and reveal yet another health outcome that is associated with uncertainty.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ichiro Kawachi
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ilias Kyriopoulos
- Department of Health Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK
| | - Sotiris Vandoros
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Economics, King's Business School, King's College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Bianchi F, Bianchi G, Song D. The long-term impact of the COVID-19 unemployment shock on life expectancy and mortality rates. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC DYNAMICS & CONTROL 2023; 146:104581. [PMID: 36506795 PMCID: PMC9721190 DOI: 10.1016/j.jedc.2022.104581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
We adopt a time series approach to investigate the historical relation between unemployment, life expectancy, and mortality rates. We fit Vector-autoregressions for the overall US population and for groups identified based on gender and race. We use our results to assess the long-run effects of the COVID-19 economic recession on mortality and life expectancy. We estimate the size of the COVID-19-related unemployment shock to be between 2 and 5 times larger than the typical unemployment shock, depending on race and gender, resulting in a significant increase in mortality rates and drop in life expectancy. We also predict that the shock will disproportionately affect African-Americans and women, over a short horizon, while the effects for white men will unfold over longer horizons. These figures translate in more than 0.8 million additional deaths over the next 15 years.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Bianchi
- Department of Economics, Duke, 213 Social Sciences building, Box 90097, JHU, CEPR, and NBER, Durham, NC 27708, United States
| | - Giada Bianchi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, United States
| | - Dongho Song
- Carey Business School, John Hopkins University, JHU Carey, 100 International Drive, Baltimore, MD 21202, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Bourassa KJ, Sbarra DA. Cardiovascular reactivity, stress, and personal emotional salience: Choose your tasks carefully. Psychophysiology 2022; 59:e14037. [PMID: 35292974 PMCID: PMC9283235 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Both greater cardiovascular reactivity and lesser reactivity ("blunting") to laboratory stressors are linked to poor health outcomes, including among people who have a history of traumatic experiences. In a sample of recently separated and divorced adults (N = 96), this study examined whether differences in cardiovascular reactivity might be explained by differences in the personal emotional salience of the tasks and trauma history. Participants were assessed for trauma history, current distress related to their marital dissolution, and cardiovascular reactivity during two tasks, a serial subtraction math stressor task and a divorce-recall task. Participants with a greater trauma history evidenced less blood pressure reactivity to the serial subtraction task (a low personal emotional salience task) when compared to participants with less trauma history. In contrast, participants with a greater trauma history evidenced higher blood pressure reactivity to the divorce-recall task, but only if they also reported more divorce-related distress (high personal emotional salience). These associations were not significant for heart rate reactivity. Among people with a history of more traumatic experiences, a task with low personal salience was associated with a lower blood pressure response, whereas a task with higher personal emotional salience was associated with a higher blood pressure response. Future studies examining cardiovascular reactivity would benefit from determining the personal emotional salience of tasks, particularly for groups that have experienced stressful life events or trauma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kyle J Bourassa
- Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Geriatrics Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Durham VA Health Care System, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - David A Sbarra
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Pulido J, Hoyos J, Martínez-Ruiz V, Sordo L, Fernández-Navarro P, Barrio G, Regidor E. Long-term impact of the 2008 economic crisis in Spain on road traffic collisions mortality by socioeconomic position. Health Place 2021; 71:102666. [PMID: 34507036 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2021.102666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
We aimed to assess the effect of the 2008 crisis on road traffic collision (RTC) mortality in Spain, by socioeconomic position (SEP) and type of road use. This prospective, country-wide study covered all adults living in Spain and aged ≥30 years in November 2001. The long-term effect of the crisis was assessed by measuring the monthly percentage change (MPC) in RTC mortality between the pre-crisis (2002-2007) and crisis period (2008-2011). During the recession, RTC mortality fell more in people with low compared to high SEP, so MPCs difference between periods were of a higher magnitude in the low compared to high SEP groups, especially among men motorcyclists. RTC mortality trends were favorable following the 2008 crisis, particularly among low-SEP groups. In men motorcyclists, the upward trend of the pre-crisis period reversed course.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J Pulido
- Department of Public Health and Maternal and Child Health, Complutense University of Madrid. Plaza Ramón y Cajal, S/n., 28040, Madrid, Spain; CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP). Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - J Hoyos
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP). Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. 28029, Madrid, Spain.
| | - V Martínez-Ruiz
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP). Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. 28029, Madrid, Spain; Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Granada, Avda. de La Investigación 11. 18016, Granada, Spain
| | - L Sordo
- Department of Public Health and Maternal and Child Health, Complutense University of Madrid. Plaza Ramón y Cajal, S/n., 28040, Madrid, Spain; CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP). Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - P Fernández-Navarro
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP). Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. 28029, Madrid, Spain; Cancer and Environmental Epidemiology Unit, Department of Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases, National Center for Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of Health, Calle Sinesio Delgado, 4. 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - G Barrio
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP). Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. 28029, Madrid, Spain; National School of Public Health. Carlos III Institute of Health, Calle Sinesio Delgado, 4. 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - E Regidor
- Department of Public Health and Maternal and Child Health, Complutense University of Madrid. Plaza Ramón y Cajal, S/n., 28040, Madrid, Spain; CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP). Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. 28029, Madrid, Spain; Health Research Institute of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), Calle Del Profesor Martín Lagos. 28040, Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The Great Recession in 2008 was a period of severe economic upheaval and myriad financial stressors. Financial stress is associated with poorer health, but for whom is this stress the most health-relevant? The current study examined the association between financial stressors and mortality, as well as whether this association varied based on people's financial status. METHODS Participants from the Midlife in the United States study (n = 2760) were assessed before (2004-2005) and after (2013-2014) the Great Recession (2008). Mortality status was then tracked from 2013 to 2017. RESULTS People who experienced more financial stressors during the Great Recession were at greater risk of early mortality over the 4-year follow-up (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.14 [1.00-1.29], p = .046). This association was moderated by the importance of financial security (B = 0.34 [0.08-0.59], p = .009). Financial stressors were more strongly associated with mortality among people who reported that financial security was important to their well-being (HR = 1.29 [1.08-1.54], p = .006) compared with people who reported it was not (HR = 1.02 [0.82-1.26], p = .89). Household income and subjective financial status did not moderate the association between financial stressors and mortality. CONCLUSIONS Experiencing financial stressors during the Great Recession was associated with increased mortality over the 4-year follow-up period, particularly for people who reported financial security was important to their well-being. Interventions designed to reduce financial stress to improve health may benefit from targeting people for whom such stressors are particularly important.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kyle J Bourassa
- From the Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University Medical Center, and Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Vandoros S. Excess mortality during the Covid-19 pandemic: Early evidence from England and Wales. Soc Sci Med 2020; 258:113101. [PMID: 32521411 PMCID: PMC7836531 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic has claimed many lives in the UK and globally. The objective of this paper is to study whether the number of deaths not registered as Covid-19-related has increased compared to what would have been expected in the absence of the pandemic. Reasons behind this might include Covid-19 underreporting, avoiding visits to hospitals or GPs, and the effects of the lockdown. I used weekly ONS data on the number of deaths in England and Wales that did not officially involve Covid-19 over the period 2015-2020. Simply observing trends is not sufficient as spikes in deaths may occasionally occur. I thus followed a difference-in-differences econometric approach to study whether there was a relative increase in deaths not registered as Covid-19-related during the pandemic, compared to a control. Results suggest that there were an additional 968 weekly deaths that officially did not involve Covid-19, compared to what would have otherwise been expected. It is possible that some people are dying from Covid-19 without being diagnosed, and/or that there are excess deaths due to other causes as a result of the pandemic. Analysing the cause of death for any excess non-covid-19 deaths will shed light upon the reasons for the increase in such deaths and will help design appropriate policy responses to save lives.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sotiris Vandoros
- King's College London, Bush House, 30 Aldwych, WC2B 4BG, London, United Kingdom; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Egan KK, Jørgensen MB, Christensen AI, Bramming M, Lau CJ, Becker U, Tolstrup JS. Association between alcohol, socioeconomic position and labour market participation: A prospective cohort study of transitions between work and unemployment. Scand J Public Health 2020; 49:197-205. [PMID: 32667258 DOI: 10.1177/1403494820911802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Aims: This study aimed to test the hypothesis that heavy alcohol consumption and problem drinking is associated with a higher risk of becoming unemployed and a lower chance of entering the job market across socioeconomic positions. Methods: A sample of 84,474 men and women aged 18-60 years from the Danish National Health Survey 2010 participated in the study. Information on alcohol consumption and problem drinking was obtained by questionnaire. The primary outcomes were becoming unemployed and entering the job market. The follow-up period was five years. Information on labour market transitions and socioeconomic position (educational level) was obtained through nationwide registers. Multiplicative analyses were performed. Results: Heavy alcohol consumption and problem drinking were associated with a higher risk of unemployment among low-educated (hazard ratio (HR)=1.5; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3-1.9) and medium-educated (HR=1.3; 95% CI 1.1-1.5) individuals in comparison to individuals with a similar educational level drinking one to seven drinks per week. Excessive alcohol consumption and problem drinking were associated with a lower chance of entering the job market for individuals with a medium or high level of education: medium-educated individuals drinking >28 drinks per week had a HR of 0.82 (95% CI 0.69-0.98) when compared to medium-educated individuals drinking one to seven drinks per week. The corresponding HR among high-educated individuals was 0.71 (95% CI 0.49-1.0). Conclusions: Heavy alcohol consumption and problem drinking are associated with a higher risk of unemployment in some social strata, whereas excessive alcohol consumption and problem drinking are associated with a lower chance of entering the job market in other social strata.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kia K Egan
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark
| | - Maja B Jørgensen
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark
| | - Anne I Christensen
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark
| | - Maja Bramming
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark
| | - Cathrine J Lau
- Center for Clinical Research and Prevention, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, The Capital Region, Denmark
| | - Ulrik Becker
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark.,Gastro Unit, Medical Division, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Janne S Tolstrup
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Dadgar I, Norström T. Is there a link between cardiovascular mortality and economic fluctuations? Scand J Public Health 2020; 48:770-780. [PMID: 31916500 DOI: 10.1177/1403494819890699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Background: Unemployment might affect several risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is the leading cause of death globally. The characterisation of the relation between these two phenomena is thus of great significance from a public-health perspective. The main aim of this study was to estimate the association between the unemployment rate and mortality from CVD and from coronary heart disease (CHD). Additional aims were (a) to assess whether the associations are modified by the degree of unemployment protection; (b) to determine the impact of GDP on heart-disease mortality; and (c) to assess the impact of the Great Recession in this context. Methods: We used time-series data for 32 countries spanning the period 1960-2015. We applied two alternative modelling strategies: (a) error correction modelling, provided that the data were co-integrated; and (b) first-difference modelling in the absence of co-integration. Separate models were estimated for each of five welfare state regimes with different levels of unemployment protection. We also performed country-specific ARIMA-analyses. Results: Because the data did not prove to be co-integrated, we applied first-difference modelling. The estimated effect of unemployment and GDP on CVD as well as CHD was statistically insignificant across age and sex groups and across the various welfare state regimes. An interaction term capturing the possible excess effect of unemployment during the Great Recession was also statistically insignificant. Conclusions: Our findings, based on data from predominantly affluent countries, suggest that heart-disease mortality does not respond to economic fluctuations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Iman Dadgar
- Swedish Institute for Social Research, Stockholm University, Sweden
| | - Thor Norström
- Swedish Institute for Social Research, Stockholm University, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Yan G, Shen JI, Harford R, Yu W, Nee R, Clark MJ, Flaque J, Colon J, Torre F, Rodriguez Y, Georges J, Agodoa L, Norris KC. Racial and Ethnic Variations in Mortality Rates for Patients Undergoing Maintenance Dialysis Treated in US Territories Compared with the US 50 States. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2020; 15:101-108. [PMID: 31857376 PMCID: PMC6946070 DOI: 10.2215/cjn.03920319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES In the United States mortality rates for patients treated with dialysis differ by racial and/or ethnic (racial/ethnic) group. Mortality outcomes for patients undergoing maintenance dialysis in the United States territories may differ from patients in the United States 50 states. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS This retrospective cohort study of using US Renal Data System data included 1,547,438 adults with no prior transplantation and first dialysis treatment between April 1, 1995 and September 28, 2012. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) of death for the territories versus 50 states for each racial/ethnic group using the whole cohort and covariate-matched samples. Covariates included demographics, year of dialysis initiation, cause of kidney failure, comorbid conditions, dialysis modality, and many others. RESULTS Of 22,828 patients treated in the territories (American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands), 321 were white, 666 were black, 20,299 were Hispanic, and 1542 were Asian. Of 1,524,610 patients in the 50 states, 838,736 were white, 444,066 were black, 182,994 were Hispanic, and 58,814 were Asian. The crude mortality rate (deaths per 100 patient-years) was lower for whites in the territories than the 50 states (14 and 29, respectively), similar for blacks (18 and 17, respectively), higher for Hispanics (27 and 16, respectively), and higher for Asians (22 and 15). In matched analyses, greater risks of death remained for Hispanics (HR, 1.65; 95% confidence interval, 1.60 to 1.70; P<0.001) and Asians (HR, 2.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.78 to 2.27; P<0.001) living in the territories versus their matched 50 states counterparts. There were no significant differences in mortality among white or black patients in the territories versus the 50 states. CONCLUSIONS Mortality rates for patients undergoing dialysis in the United States territories differ substantially by race/ethnicity compared with the 50 states. After matched analyses for comparable age and risk factors, mortality risk no longer differed for whites or blacks, but remained much greater for territory-dwelling Hispanics and Asians.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guofen Yan
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia;
| | - Jenny I Shen
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California.,Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California
| | - Rubette Harford
- School of Nursing, Mount St. Mary's University, Los Angeles, California.,Atlantis Healthcare Group-Puerto Rico, Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico
| | - Wei Yu
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Robert Nee
- Department of Nephrology, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Mary Jo Clark
- Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, University of San Diego, San Diego, California; and
| | - Jose Flaque
- Atlantis Healthcare Group-Puerto Rico, Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico
| | - Jose Colon
- Atlantis Healthcare Group-Puerto Rico, Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico
| | - Francisco Torre
- Atlantis Healthcare Group-Puerto Rico, Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico
| | - Ylene Rodriguez
- Atlantis Healthcare Group-Puerto Rico, Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico
| | - Jane Georges
- Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, University of San Diego, San Diego, California; and
| | - Lawrence Agodoa
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Keith C Norris
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California;
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Paes-Sousa R, Schramm JMDA, Mendes LVP. Fiscal austerity and the health sector: the cost of adjustments. CIENCIA & SAUDE COLETIVA 2019; 24:4375-4384. [PMID: 31778488 DOI: 10.1590/1413-812320182412.23232019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Fiscal austerity policies have been used as responses to economic crises and fiscal deficits in both developed and developing countries. While they vary in regard to their content, intensity and implementation, such models recommend reducing public expenses and social investments, retracting the public service and substituting the private sector in lieu of the State to provide certain services tied to social policies. The present article discusses the main effects of the recent economic crisis on public health based on an updated review with consideration for three dimensions: health risks, epidemiological profiles of different populations, and health policies. In Brazil, the combination of economic crisis and fiscal austerity policies is capable of producing a direr situation than those experienced in developed countries. The country is characterized by historically high levels of social inequality, an under-financed health sector, highly prevalent chronic degenerative diseases and persisting preventable infectious diseases. It is imperative to develop alternatives to mitigate the effects of the economic crisis taking into consideration not only the sustainability of public finance but also public well-being.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Romulo Paes-Sousa
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas. Av. Augusto de Lima 1715, Barro Preto. 30190-002 Belo Horizonte MG Brasil.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Single transitions and persistence of unemployment are associated with poor health outcomes. BMC Public Health 2019; 19:740. [PMID: 31196081 PMCID: PMC6567908 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-019-7059-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although job loss has been associated with decline in health, the effect of long term unemployment is less clear and under-researched. Furthermore, the impact of an economic recession on this relationship is unclear. We investigated the associations of single transitions and persistence of unemployment with health. We subsequently examined whether these associations are affected by the latest recession, which began in 2008. Methods In total, 57,911 participants from the Dutch Health Interview Survey who belonged to the labour force between 2004 and 2014 were included. Based on longitudinal tax registration data, single employment transitions between time point 1 (t1) and time point 2 (t2) and persistent unemployment (i.e. number of years individuals were unemployed) between t1 and time point 5 (t5) were defined. General and mental health, smoking and obesity were assessed at respectively time point 3 (t3) and time point 6 (t6). Logistic regression models were performed and interactions with recession indicators (year, annual gross domestic product estimates and regional unemployment rates) were tested. Results Compared with individuals who stayed employed at t1 and t2, the likelihood of poor mental health at the subsequent year was significantly higher in those who became unemployed at t2. Persistent unemployment was associated with poor mental health, especially for those who were persistently unemployed for 5 years. Similar patterns, although less pronounced for smoking, were found for general health and obesity. Indicators of the economic recession did not modify these associations. Conclusions Single transitions into unemployment and persistent unemployment are associated with poor mental and general health, obesity, and to a lesser extend smoking. Our study suggests that re-employment might be an important strategy to improve health of unemployed individuals. The relatively extensive Dutch social security system may explain that the economic recession did not modify these associations.
Collapse
|
13
|
Jørgensen MB, Pedersen J, Thygesen LC, Lau CJ, Christensen AI, Becker U, Tolstrup JS. Alcohol consumption and labour market participation: a prospective cohort study of transitions between work, unemployment, sickness absence, and social benefits. Eur J Epidemiol 2019; 34:397-407. [PMID: 30627937 PMCID: PMC6451700 DOI: 10.1007/s10654-018-0476-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the association of alcohol consumption and problem drinking on transitions between work, unemployment, sickness absence and social benefits. Participants were 86,417 men and women aged 18-60 years who participated in the Danish National Health Survey in 2010. Information on alcohol consumption (units per week) and problem drinking (CAGE-C score of 4-6) was obtained by questionnaire. The primary outcome was labour market attachment. Information on labour market attachment was obtained from the national administrative registers during a 5-year follow-up period. Using Cox proportional hazards models, we estimated hazard ratios (HR) for transitions between work, unemployment, sickness absence and social benefits. Analyses were adjusted for potential confounders associated with demography, health, and socio-economy. High alcohol consumption and problem drinking was associated with higher probability of unemployment, sickness absence and social benefits among participants employed at baseline compared with participants who consumed 1-6 drinks/week. High alcohol consumption and problem drinking was associated with lower probability of returning to work among participants receiving sickness absence at baseline compared with participants who consumed 1-6 drinks/week and with non-problem drinkers: HRs were 0.75 (0.58-0.98) for 35+ drinks per week and 0.81 (0.65-1.00) for problem drinking (CAGE-C score of 4-6). Similar trends for weekly alcohol consumption and problem drinking were observed among participants who were unemployed at baseline. In summary, problem drinking has adverse consequences for labour market participation and is associated with higher probability of losing a job and a lower chance of becoming employed again.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maja Bæksgaard Jørgensen
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Studiestræde 6, 1455 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jacob Pedersen
- The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lau Caspar Thygesen
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Studiestræde 6, 1455 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Cathrine Juel Lau
- Center for Clinical Research and Prevention, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, The Capital Region, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anne Illemann Christensen
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Studiestræde 6, 1455 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ulrik Becker
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Studiestræde 6, 1455 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Gastrounit, Medical Division, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Janne S. Tolstrup
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Studiestræde 6, 1455 Copenhagen, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Disparities in the utilisation of preventive health services by the employment status: An analysis of 2007-2012 South Korean national survey. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0207737. [PMID: 30586360 PMCID: PMC6306253 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives This study aims to investigate the differences in the utilisation of preventive health services among standard, nonstandard workers, the self-employed, and unpaid family workers. Methods We used the 4th and 5th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a nationwide survey conducted from the year 2007 to 2012. Economically active workers between the ages of 25 and 64 were grouped into standard, nonstandard, the self-employed, and the unpaid family workers (N = 16,964). Outcome variables are the uptake of preventive health services including influenza vaccination, regular medical check-up, and four types of cancer screenings. We used multivariate logistic models. Results Overall, non-standard workers, the self-employed, and unpaid family workers were less likely to use the preventive health care compared to the standard workers. In particular, the self-employed were less likely to use all the six services compared to the standard workers and showed the lowest level of uptakes among the four working groups. Moreover, the service uptake of the non-standard workers was lower than that of standard workers in all services; except the colon cancer screening. On the other hand, unpaid family workers showed mixed results. While the uptake of influenza vaccination and regular health screening were lower, participation to the cancer screening was not lower compared to that of standard workers. Conclusion There were gaps in the utilisation of preventive services among workers depending on their employment types. Access to preventive health care services of nonstandard workers, the self-employed, and unpaid family workers should be prioritised.
Collapse
|
15
|
Reinhard E, Layte R, McCrory C, Panico L, Avendano M. The Great Recession and the Health of Young Children: A Fixed-Effects Analysis in Ireland. Am J Epidemiol 2018; 187:1438-1448. [PMID: 29370331 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwy001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Economic recessions have been linked to adult health, but few studies have examined how recessions influence the health of young children. This study examined the impact of life transitions linked to the recent financial crisis on the health of young children in Ireland. Data came from the Growing Up in Ireland Infant Cohort Study (n = 11,134), which assessed children before (2008), during (2011), and after (2013) the Great Recession that followed the financial crisis of 2008 and incorporated questions on the impacts of the financial crisis on families. Using fixed-effects models to control for confounding, we found that a reduction in welfare benefits during the recession was associated with a significant increase in the risks of asthma (β = 0.014, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.004, 0.023) and atopy (β = 0.014, 95% CI: 0.001, 0.027). While parental job loss was not associated with child health, a reduction in working hours was associated with increased reports of child health problems (β = 0.024, 95% CI: 0.004, 0.043), as were difficulties affording basic necessities (β = 0.019, 95% CI: 0.001, 0.038). Results suggest that failing to protect vulnerable families and children during economic recessions may have long-lasting implications for child health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erica Reinhard
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Richard Layte
- Department of Sociology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Economic and Social Research Institute, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Cathal McCrory
- Economic and Social Research Institute, Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Medical Gerontology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Lidia Panico
- National Institute of Demographic Studies, Paris, France
| | - Mauricio Avendano
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Bilal U, Cooper R, Abreu F, Nau C, Franco M, Glass TA. Economic growth and mortality: do social protection policies matter? Int J Epidemiol 2018; 46:1147-1156. [PMID: 28338775 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyx016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In the 20th century, periods of macroeconomic growth have been associated with increases in population mortality. Factors that cause or mitigate this association are not well understood. Evidence suggests that social policy may buffer the deleterious impact of economic growth. We sought to explore associations between changing unemployment (as a proxy for economic change) and trends in mortality over 30 years in the context of varying social protection expenditures. Methods We model change in all-cause mortality in 21 OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries from 1980 to 2010. Data from the Comparative Welfare States Data Set and the WHO Mortality Database were used. A decrease in the unemployment rate was used as a proxy for economic growth and age-adjusted mortality rates as the outcome. Social protection expenditure was measured as percentage of gross domestic product expended. Results A 1% decrease in unemployment (i.e. the proxy for economic growth) was associated with a 0.24% increase in the overall mortality rate (95% confidence interval: 0.07;0.42) in countries with no changes in social protection. Reductions in social protection expenditure strengthened this association between unemployment and mortality. The magnitude of the association was diminished over time. Conclusions Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that social protection policies that accompany economic growth can mitigate its potential deleterious effects on health. Further research should identify specific policies that are most effective.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Usama Bilal
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Social and Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Group, Universidad de Alcala, Madrid, Spain
| | - Richard Cooper
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Claudia Nau
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Manuel Franco
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Social and Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Group, Universidad de Alcala, Madrid, Spain
| | - Thomas A Glass
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Hessel P, Riumallo-Herl CJ, Leist AK, Berkman LF, Avendano M. Economic Downturns, Retirement and Long-Term Cognitive Function Among Older Americans. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2018; 73:744-754. [PMID: 28402464 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbx035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Workers approaching retirement may be particularly vulnerable to economic downturns. This study assesses whether exposure to economic downturns around retirement age leads to poorer cognitive function in later life. Method Longitudinal data for 13,577 individuals in the Health and Retirement Study were linked to unemployment rates in state of residence. Random- and fixed-effect models were used to examine whether downturns at 55-64 years of age were associated with cognitive functioning levels and decline at ≥65 years, measured by the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised. Results Longer exposure to downturns at 55-64 years of age was associated with lower levels of cognitive function at ≥65 years. Compared to individuals experiencing only up to 1 year in a downturn at 55-64 years of age, individuals experiencing two downturns at these ages had 0.09 point (95% Confidence Interval [CI, -0.17, -0.02]) lower cognitive functioning scores at ≥65 years (3 years: b = -0.17, 95%CI [-0.29, -0.06]; 4 years: b = -0.14, 95%CI [-0.25, -0.02]; ≥5 years: b = -0.22, 95%CI [-0.38, -0.06]). Downturns at 55-64 years of age were not associated with rates of cognitive decline. Discussion Exposure to downturns around retirement is associated with a long-lasting decline in cognitive function in later life. Policies mitigating the impact of downturns on older workers may help to maintain cognitive function in later life.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Hessel
- Harvard University, Center for Population and Development Studies, Cambridge, Massachusetts.,Universidad de los Andes, Escuela de Gobierno Alberto Lleras Camargo, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carlos J Riumallo-Herl
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Department of Global Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Anja K Leist
- University of Luxembourg, PEARL Institute for Research on Socio-Economic Inequality, Luxembourg
| | - Lisa F Berkman
- Harvard University, Center for Population and Development Studies, Cambridge, Massachusetts.,Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Mauricio Avendano
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Boston, Massachusetts.,King's College London, Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, UK
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Lersch PM, Jacob M, Hank K. Long-term Health Consequences of Adverse Labor Market Conditions at Time of Leaving Education: Evidence from West German Panel Data. JOURNAL OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR 2018; 59:151-168. [PMID: 29303619 DOI: 10.1177/0022146517749848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Using longitudinal survey data from the Socio-Economic Panel Study ( N = 3,003 respondents with 22,165 individual-year observations) and exploiting temporal and regional variation in state-level unemployment rates in West Germany, we explore differences in trajectories of individuals' self-rated health over a period of up to 23 years after leaving education under different regional labor market conditions. We find evidence for immediate positive effects of contextual unemployment when leaving education on individuals' health. We find no evidence for generally accelerated or decelerated health deterioration when leaving education in high-unemployment contexts. We find, however, that individual unemployment experience when leaving education is associated with worse health and with more accelerated health deterioration in high-unemployment contexts. The cumulative experience of unemployment after leaving education does not mediate the influence of early labor market experiences for long-term health outcomes. In addition, our analyses indicate no gender differences in these results.
Collapse
|
19
|
Courtin E, Dowd JB, Avendano M. The Mental Health Benefits of Acquiring a Home in Older Age: A Fixed-Effects Analysis of Older US Adults. Am J Epidemiol 2018; 187:465-473. [PMID: 29020190 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwx278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Homeownership is consistently associated with better mental health, but whether becoming a homeowner in later in life has positive psychological benefits has not, to our knowledge, been examined. We assessed whether acquiring a home after age 50 years was associated with depression in a representative sample of older US adults. We used individual fixed-effects models based on data from 20,524 respondents aged ≥50 years from the Health and Retirement Study, who were interviewed biennially during 1993-2010. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 8-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Controlling for confounders, becoming a homeowner in later life predicted a decline in depressive symptoms in the same year (β = -0.0768, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.152, -0.007). The association remained significant after 2 years (β = -0.0556, 95% CI: -0.134, -0.001) but weakened afterward. Buying a home for reasons associated with positive characteristics of the new house or neighborhood drove this association (β = -0.426, 95% CI: -0.786, -0.066), while acquiring a home for reasons associated with characteristics of the previous home or neighborhood, the desire to be closer to relatives, downsizing, or upsizing did not predict mental health improvements. Findings suggest that there are small but significant benefits for mental health associated with acquiring a home in older age.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Courtin
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer B Dowd
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, New York, New York
| | - Mauricio Avendano
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Miller GE, Chen E, Yu T, Brody GH. Metabolic Syndrome Risks Following the Great Recession in Rural Black Young Adults. J Am Heart Assoc 2017; 6:JAHA.117.006052. [PMID: 28877875 PMCID: PMC5634270 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.117.006052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background Some of the country's highest rates of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease are found in lower‐income black communities in the rural Southeast. Research suggests these disparities originate in the early decades of life, and partly reflect the influence of broader socioeconomic forces acting on behavioral and biological processes that accelerate cardiovascular disease progression. However, this hypothesis has not been tested explicitly. Here, we examine metabolic syndrome (MetS) in rural black young adults as a function of their family's economic conditions before and after the Great Recession. Methods and Results In an ongoing prospective study, we followed 328 black youth from rural Georgia, who were 16 to 17 years old when the Great Recession began. When youth were 25, we assessed MetS prevalence using the International Diabetes Federation's guidelines. The sample's overall MetS prevalence was 18.6%, but rates varied depending on family economic trajectory from before to after the Great Recession. MetS prevalence was lowest (10.4%) among youth whose families maintained stable low‐income conditions across the Recession. It was intermediate (21.8%) among downwardly mobile youth (ie, those whose families were lower income before the Recession, but slipped into poverty). The highest MetS rates (27.5%) were among youth whose families began the Recession in poverty, and sank into more meager conditions afterwards. The same patterns were observed with 3 alternative MetS definitions. Conclusions These patterns suggest that broader economic forces shape cardiometabolic risk in young blacks, and may exacerbate disparities already present in this community.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gregory E Miller
- Institute for Policy Research and Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
| | - Edith Chen
- Institute for Policy Research and Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
| | - Tianyi Yu
- Center for Family Research, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
| | - Gene H Brody
- Center for Family Research, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Axelrad H, Sabbath EL, Hawkins SS. The impact of the 2008 recession on the health of older workers: data from 13 European countries. Eur J Public Health 2017; 27:647-652. [PMID: 28961877 PMCID: PMC6251540 DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckx011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Fluctuations in the national economy shape labour market opportunities and outcomes, which in turn influence the health conditions of older workers. This study examined whether overall economic shifts during the 2008 recession was associated with four health indicators among older workers. Method Data came from 4917 respondents (16 090 contacts) aged 50-70 in 13 European countries (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland) participating in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. Health and employment assessments from 2004-13 were linked to annual data on fluctuations in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, life expectancy and unemployment rates for each country. Using fixed effects models, we assessed the recession's implications on four individual health outcomes: body mass index (BMI), drinking alcohol, depression and general health, while isolating cyclical variation within countries and individual changes over time. Results Overall economic shifts had an effect on older workers: decreases in GDP were associated with a decline in average BMI, consumption of alcohol and deterioration in self-rated health; country-level unemployment rate had no effect on health outcomes, while life expectancy at birth was significant but not consistently across models. Being employed or retired were associated with fewer depressive symptoms and better self-rated health. Conclusions Overall economic shifts during recessions affect certain health outcomes of older workers, and better health conditions together with being employed or retired may limit the negative health consequences of a recession.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hila Axelrad
- Center on Aging and Work, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue Chestnut
Hill, MA 02467, USA
| | - Erika L. Sabbath
- School of Social Work, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Eshak ES, Honjo K, Iso H, Ikeda A, Inoue M, Sawada N, Tsugane S. Changes in the Employment Status and Risk of Stroke and Stroke Types. Stroke 2017; 48:1176-1182. [DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.117.016967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2016] [Revised: 02/05/2017] [Accepted: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background and Purpose—
Because of limited evidence, we investigated a long-term impact of changes in employment status on risk of stroke.
Methods—
This was a prospective study of 21 902 Japanese men and 19 826 women aged 40 to 59 years from 9 public health centers across Japan. Participants were followed up from 1990 to 1993 to the end of 2009 to 2014. Cox proportional hazard ratio of stroke (incidence and mortality) and its types (hemorrhagic and ischemic) was calculated according to changes in the employment status within 5 years interval between 1990 to 1993 and 1995 to 1998 (continuously employed, job loss, reemployed, and continuously unemployed).
Results—
During the follow-up period, 973 incident cases and 275 deaths from stroke in men and 460 cases and 131 deaths in women were documented. Experiencing 1 spell of unemployment was associated with higher risks of morbidity and mortality from total, hemorrhagic, and ischemic stroke in both men and women, even after propensity score matching. Compared with continuously employed subjects, the multivariable hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for total stroke incidence in job lost men was 1.58 (1.18–2.13) and in job lost women was 1.51 (1.08–2.29), and those for total stroke mortality were 2.22 (1.34–3.68) in men and 2.48 (1.26–4.77) in women. The respective hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) in reemployed men was 2.96 (1.89–4.62) for total stroke incidence and 4.21 (1.97–8.97) for mortality, whereas those in reemployed women were 1.30 (0.98–1.69) for incidence and 1.28 (0.76–2.17) for mortality.
Conclusions—
Job lost men and women and reemployed men had increased risks for both hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke incidence and mortality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ehab S. Eshak
- From the Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Yamadoka, Suita-shi, Japan (E.S.E., K.H., H.I.); Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Minia University, Shalaby Land, Egypt (E.S.E.); Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan (A.I.); Center for Public Health Sciences, National Cancer Center, Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan (M.I., N.S., S.T.); and AXA Department of Health and Human
| | - Kaori Honjo
- From the Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Yamadoka, Suita-shi, Japan (E.S.E., K.H., H.I.); Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Minia University, Shalaby Land, Egypt (E.S.E.); Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan (A.I.); Center for Public Health Sciences, National Cancer Center, Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan (M.I., N.S., S.T.); and AXA Department of Health and Human
| | - Hiroyasu Iso
- From the Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Yamadoka, Suita-shi, Japan (E.S.E., K.H., H.I.); Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Minia University, Shalaby Land, Egypt (E.S.E.); Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan (A.I.); Center for Public Health Sciences, National Cancer Center, Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan (M.I., N.S., S.T.); and AXA Department of Health and Human
| | - Ai Ikeda
- From the Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Yamadoka, Suita-shi, Japan (E.S.E., K.H., H.I.); Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Minia University, Shalaby Land, Egypt (E.S.E.); Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan (A.I.); Center for Public Health Sciences, National Cancer Center, Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan (M.I., N.S., S.T.); and AXA Department of Health and Human
| | - Manami Inoue
- From the Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Yamadoka, Suita-shi, Japan (E.S.E., K.H., H.I.); Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Minia University, Shalaby Land, Egypt (E.S.E.); Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan (A.I.); Center for Public Health Sciences, National Cancer Center, Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan (M.I., N.S., S.T.); and AXA Department of Health and Human
| | - Norie Sawada
- From the Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Yamadoka, Suita-shi, Japan (E.S.E., K.H., H.I.); Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Minia University, Shalaby Land, Egypt (E.S.E.); Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan (A.I.); Center for Public Health Sciences, National Cancer Center, Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan (M.I., N.S., S.T.); and AXA Department of Health and Human
| | - Shoichiro Tsugane
- From the Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Yamadoka, Suita-shi, Japan (E.S.E., K.H., H.I.); Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Minia University, Shalaby Land, Egypt (E.S.E.); Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan (A.I.); Center for Public Health Sciences, National Cancer Center, Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan (M.I., N.S., S.T.); and AXA Department of Health and Human
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Rogers CK, Zhang NJ. An Early Look at the Association Between State Medicaid Expansion and Disparities in Cardiovascular Diseases: A Comprehensive Population Health Management Approach. Popul Health Manag 2017; 20:348-356. [PMID: 28192044 DOI: 10.1089/pop.2016.0113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases nationally and disproportionately affects low-income individuals. There are substantial disparities on CVD outcomes that stem from the lack of health insurance among low-income populations. The Affordable Care Act expands Medicaid health insurance to low-income populations, and aims to increase the utilization of health, social, and economic preventive services to reduce health disparities and prevent chronic diseases. The authors analyzed data from the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to understand the potential impact of Medicaid expansion on disparities in CVD among low-income populations. Logistic regression models examined the association between CVD self-reported outcomes among low-income adults with incomes at or below 138% of the federal poverty level in states that have chosen to expand Medicaid and those states choosing not to expand, controlling for socioeconomic, demographic, behavioral, social, and health variables that affect CVD. Overall, the results show that adults in Medicaid expansion states have significantly lower odds of experiencing poor heart health compared to those in non-Medicaid expansion states (odds ratio = 0.767, 95% confidence interval 0.667-0.882). Additionally, significant findings were found between the association of CVD and demographic, socioeconomic, health, and health behavioral covariates. Policy makers should consider policies, systems, and interventions that increase access to a comprehensive set of preventive, population health, and socioeconomic services targeting the key determinants of CVD and other outcomes when expanding Medicaid and designing state plans and waivers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher K Rogers
- Department of Interprofessional Health Sciences and Health Administration, School of Health and Medical Sciences, Seton Hall University , South Orange, New Jersey
| | - Ning Jackie Zhang
- Department of Interprofessional Health Sciences and Health Administration, School of Health and Medical Sciences, Seton Hall University , South Orange, New Jersey
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Batic-Mujanovic O, Poric S, Pranjic N, Ramic E, Alibasic E, Karic E. Influence of Unemployment on Mental Health of the Working Age Population. Mater Sociomed 2017; 29:92-96. [PMID: 28883769 PMCID: PMC5544462 DOI: 10.5455/msm.2017.29.92-96] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Bosnia and Herzegovina has one of the highest unemployment rates in the Balkan region (43.2%), so unemployment is one of the most serious public concerns in our country. Aim: To analyze the influence of unemployment on mental health of the working age population who attend primary care center. Material and Methods: The study was carried out in the municipality of Bosanska Krupa, which has the highest unemployment rate in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (56%), and included 510 randomly selected working age patients (aged 23-65 years). We used the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) to evaluate mental health of the working age population. Results: There were significantly more women than men (53.5% vs. 46.5%; p=0.02). The mean age of participants was 51.04±12.84 years. The experimental group included 318 (62.35%) unemployed working age participants: 160 (50.3%) had been unemployed for more than 5 years and had had no work experience, while 158 (49.7%) unemployed participants had had a previous work experience of more than five years. The control group included 192 (37.65%) employed working age participants. Unemployment had a significant influence on mental health of the working age population. The unemployed participants had a significantly poorer mental health compared to the employed (p=0.0003). A predictor of impaired mental health was a job loss. A significantly greater mental health impairment occured in the group of unemployed participants with previous work experience of more than five years compared to the unemployed participants who had had no work experience (p=0.001) and employed (p=0.000). Conclusion: Unemployment has a negative impact and leads to impaired mental health of the working age population in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A job loss has a predictive role. It indicates that social and health policies must be developed in order to improve well-being of the working age population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olivera Batic-Mujanovic
- Family Medicine Teaching Center, Public Health Center Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina.,Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Samir Poric
- School of Health Studies, University of Bihac, Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Nurka Pranjic
- Teaching Department for Professional Pathology and Toxicology, Public Health Center Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina.,Department of Occupational Health Faculty of Medicine, University of Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Enisa Ramic
- Family Medicine, Public Health Center Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Esad Alibasic
- Family Medicine, Public Health Center Kalesija, Kalesija, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Enisa Karic
- Family Medicine, Public Health Center Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Avendano M, Moustgaard H, Martikainen P. Are some populations resilient to recessions? Economic fluctuations and mortality during a period of economic decline and recovery in Finland. Eur J Epidemiol 2016; 32:77-85. [PMID: 27730407 PMCID: PMC5331077 DOI: 10.1007/s10654-016-0152-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2015] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
This paper uses individual-level longitudinal data on working-age Finns to examine the health effects of economic fluctuations during a period of economic decline (1989–1996) and recovery (1997–2007) in Finland. We used a nationally representative, longitudinal sample formed by linking population, employment and mortality registers (n = 698,484; 7,719,870 person-years). We implemented a region fixed-effect model that exploits within-regional variations over time in the unemployment rate to identify the effect of economic fluctuations on mortality, controlling for individual employment transitions. Unemployment rates increased from 5.2 % in 1989 to 19.8 % in 1996, declining gradually thereafter and reaching 9.7 % in 2007. Results indicate that these large fluctuations in the economy had no impact on the overall mortality of most working age Finns. The exception was highly educated men, who experienced an increase of 7 % (Rate ratio = 1.07, 95 % confidence interval 1.04, 1.10) for every one-point increase in the regional unemployment rate during the period 1989–1996 due to increased mortality from cardiovascular disease and suicide. This increase, however, was not robust in models that used the employment to population ratio as measure of the economy. Unemployment rates were unrelated to mortality among females, lower educated men, and among any group during economic recovery (1997–2007). For most Finns, we found no consistent evidence of changes in mortality in response to contractions or expansions in the economy. Possible explanations include the weak impact of the recession on wages, as well as the generous unemployment insurance and social benefit system in Finland.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Avendano
- Department of Global Health & Social Medicine, King's College London, East Wing, Strand Campus, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS, UK.
- Department Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Heta Moustgaard
- Population Research Unit, Department of Social Research, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Pekka Martikainen
- Population Research Unit, Department of Social Research, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Centre for Health Equity Studies (CHESS), Stockholms Universitet and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- The Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Hessel P, Avendano M. Economic downturns during the life-course and late-life health: an analysis of 11 European countries. Eur J Public Health 2016; 26:766-771. [PMID: 27221605 DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckw063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research has shown that individual socio-economic circumstances throughout life affect health in older ages. However, little attention has been paid to the broad economic context affecting individual's life-chances. This paper examines whether economic downturns experienced during young and mid-adulthood have long-run effects on physical health. METHODS We exploit data on economic fluctuations in the period 1945-2010 in 11 European countries, linked to longitudinal data from three waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. We estimate a country fixed effect model assessing whether downturns experienced at 5-year intervals between ages 25 and 54 are associated with levels and onset of new limitations with Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) in older age (55-80). RESULTS Experiencing an economic downturn at ages 45-59 is associated with increased risk of having at least one disability limitation in later-life (odds ratio [OR] for ADL = 1.66, 95% CI [Confidence Interval] 1.24, 2.22; OR for IADL = 1.46, 95% CI 1.10, 1.94). Economic downturns at ages 40-44 and 45-49 also increase the risk of a new functional limitation in later-life (OR for IADL ages 40-44 = 1.20, 95% CI 1.03, 1.40; OR for IADL ages 45-49 = 1.44, CI 1.10-1.88). Economic downturns experienced around these ages are also associated with significantly greater risks of smoking and excessive alcohol consumption as well as lower incomes in older age. CONCLUSIONS Exposure to an economic downturn at ages 40-49 is associated with poorer health in older ages, possibly by increasing risk of unhealthy behaviours and low incomes persisting into older age.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Hessel
- Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA .,Department of Social Science, Health and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Mauricio Avendano
- Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Department of Social Science, Health and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.,Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Karanikolos M, Heino P, McKee M, Stuckler D, Legido-Quigley H. Effects of the Global Financial Crisis on Health in High-Income Oecd Countries. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH SERVICES 2016; 46:208-40. [DOI: 10.1177/0020731416637160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
A growing body of evidence documents how economic crises impact aspects of health across countries and over time. We performed a systematic narrative review of the health effects of the latest economic crisis based on studies of high-income countries. Papers published between January 2009 and July 2015 were selected based on review of titles and abstracts, followed by a full text review conducted by two independent reviewers. Ultimately, 122 studies were selected and their findings summarized. The review finds that the 2008 financial crisis had negative effects on mental health, including suicide, and to a varying extent on some non-communicable and communicable diseases and access to care. Although unhealthy behaviors such as hazardous drinking and tobacco use appeared to decline during the crisis, there have been increases in some groups, typically those already at greatest risk. The health impact was greatest in countries that suffered the largest economic impact of the crisis or prolonged austerity. The Great Recessions in high-income countries have had mixed impacts on health. They tend to be worse when economic impacts are more severe, prolonged austerity measures are implemented, and there are pre-existing problems of substance use among vulnerable groups.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marina Karanikolos
- Europe an Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, London, United Kingdom
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Pia Heino
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Martin McKee
- Europe an Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, London, United Kingdom
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - David Stuckler
- Department of Sociology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Helena Legido-Quigley
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|