Increased Stress Among Women Following an Economic Collapse--A Prospective Cohort Study

Hauksdóttir, Arna; McClure, Christopher Bruce; Jonsson, Stefan Hrafn; Ólafsson, Ö; Valdimarsdóttir, Unnur

doi:10.1093/aje/kws347

Cited by 56 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 34 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…For example, observational reports found a spike in female cardiac emergency visits during the week corresponding to the economic collapse in October 2008 3. In accordance with this, our previous analysis on changes in mental health revealed significant increases in stress for mainly women 4. This increase in stress for women, however, threatening to related health outcomes, did not prove to be associated with an increased likelihood of relapsing.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Economic crisis and smoking behaviour: prospective cohort study in Iceland

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

ObjectiveTo examine the associations between the 2008 economic collapse in Iceland and smoking behaviour at the national and individual levels.DesignA population-based, prospective cohort study based on a mail survey (Health and Wellbeing in Iceland) assessed in 2007 and 2009.SettingNational mail survey.ParticipantsRepresentative cohort (n=3755) of Icelandic adults.Main outcome measureSmoking status.ResultsA significant reduction in the prevalence of smoking was observed from 2007 (pre-economic collapse) to 2009 (postcollapse) in both males (17.4–14.8%; p 0.01) and females (20.0–17.5%; p 0.01) in the cohort (n=3755). At the individual level of analysis, male former smokers experiencing a reduction in income during the same period were less likely to relapse (OR 0.37; 95% CI 0.16 to 0.85). Female smokers were less likely to quit over time compared to males (OR 0.65; 95% CI 0.45 to 0.93). Among male former smokers who experienced an increase in income between 2007 and 2009, we observed an elevated risk of smoking relapse (OR 4.02; 95% CI 1.15 to 14.00).ConclusionsThe national prevalence of smoking in Iceland declined following the 2008 economic crisis. This could be due to the procyclical relationship between macro-economic conditions and smoking behaviour (ie, hard times lead to less smoking because of lower affordability), or it may simply reflect a continuation of trends already in place prior to the crisis. In individual-level analysis, we find that former smokers who experienced a decline in income were less likely to relapse; and conversely, an increase in income raises the risk. However, caution is warranted since these findings are based on small numbers.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Economic crisis and smoking behaviour: prospective cohort study in Iceland

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…These changes were much stronger for women than for men. 36 This is in line with our findings. During the economic crisis in Iceland, the use of cardiac emergency rooms increased for women.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Changes of individual perception in psychosocial stressors related to German reunification in 1989/1990 and cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular diseases in a population-based study in East Germany

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

ObjectivesAim was to examine the relationship between individually perceived changes in psychosocial stressors associated with German reunification and cardiovascular effects. We hypothesised that higher levels of psychosocial stress related to German reunification were associated with an increase in cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).DesignCross-sectional data from 2 cohort studies in East Germany were used: Cardiovascular Disease, Living and Ageing in Halle Study (CARLA), and Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP).Setting2 populations in East Germany.ParticipantsCARLA study: 1779 participants, aged 45–83 years at baseline (812 women), SHIP study: 4308 participants, aged 20–79 years at baseline (2193 women).Primary and secondary outcome measuresPsychosocial stressors related to reunification were operationalised by the Reunification Stress Index (RSI; scale from 0 to 10). This index was composed of questions that were related to individually perceived changes in psychosocial stressors (occupational, financial and personal) after reunification. To examine the associations between the RSI and each stressor separately with cardiovascular risk factors and CVD, regression models were used.ResultsRSI was associated with CVD in women (RR=1.15, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.33). Cardiovascular risk factors were associated with RSI for both men and women, with strongest associations between RSI and diabetes in women (RR=1.10, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.20) and depressive disorders in men (RR=1.15, 95% CI 1.07 to 2.77). The change in occupational situation related to reunification was the major contributing psychosocial stressor. We observed a strong association with CVD in women who experienced occupational deterioration after reunification (RR=4.04, 95% CI 1.21 to 13.43).ConclusionsIndividually perceived deterioration of psychosocial stressors (occupational, financial and personal) related to German reunification was associated with cardiovascular risk factors and CVD. The associations were stronger for women than for men. An explanation for these findings could be that women were more often affected by unemployment after reunification. Morbidity and mortality follow-up of both cohorts could enhance the results.

show abstract

“…These contrasting findings on the role of gender reflect the wider literature, which also finds differences. 13,14 To understand the health consequences of the crisis for the Greek population overall, it is necessary to look at both those who remain in employment and those who lose jobs. While most previous attention has focused on the latter, there are grounds for concern about both in Greece.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Austerity, precariousness, and the health status of Greek labour market participants: Retrospective cohort analysis of employed and unemployed persons in 2008–2009 and 2010–2011

Barlow

Reeves

Stuckler

2015

J Public Health Pol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Greece implemented the deepest austerity package in Europe during the Great Recession (from 2008), including reductions in severance pay and redundancy notice periods. To evaluate whether these measures worsened labour market participants' health status, we compared changes in self-reported health using two cohorts of employed individuals in Greece from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions. During the initial recession (2008-2009) we found that self-reported health worsened both for those remaining in employment and those who lost jobs. Similarly, during the austerity programme (2010-2011) people who lost jobs experienced greater health declines. Importantly, individuals who remained employed in 2011 were also 25 per cent more likely to experience a health decline than in 2009. These harms appeared concentrated in people aged 45-54 who lost jobs. Our study moves beyond existing findings by demonstrating that austerity both exacerbates the negative health consequences of job loss and worsens the health of those still employed.

show abstract

Increased Stress Among Women Following an Economic Collapse--A Prospective Cohort Study

Cited by 56 publications

References 34 publications

Economic crisis and smoking behaviour: prospective cohort study in Iceland

Economic crisis and smoking behaviour: prospective cohort study in Iceland

Changes of individual perception in psychosocial stressors related to German reunification in 1989/1990 and cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular diseases in a population-based study in East Germany

Austerity, precariousness, and the health status of Greek labour market participants: Retrospective cohort analysis of employed and unemployed persons in 2008–2009 and 2010–2011

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About