Promoting wellbeing in young unemployed adults: The importance of identifying meaningful patterns of time use

Abstract

Individuals in the 'unemployed' groups spent large amounts of time engaged in potentially non-directed use of time (e.g. watching television or 'doing nothing'). Such patterns of time use have previously been associated with poor health. To support the health of unemployed individuals more effectively, occupational therapy interventions must focus on enhancing the quality of time use for this population.

Differential Links Between Leisure Activities and Depressive Symptoms in Unemployed Individuals

“…However, most studies have examined only recreational activities as a generalized whole, with relatively few studies examining the effects of specific domains of recreational leisure activities on depressive symptoms (Herrera et al, 2011). Concurrently, unemployment literature typically examines general types of behaviors and activities, such as exercise (Colman & Dave, 2013) or recreation (Scanlan et al, 2011; Waters & Moore, 2002). …”

“…Previous studies reported both increased (Scanlan, Bundy, & Matthews, 2011) and decreased participation in exercise (Freyer-Adam, Gaertner, Tobschall, & John, 2011). Perhaps, the current findings are resulting from the average of opposite trends in exercise behavior changes observed in the transition from employment to unemployment, such that some participants decrease participation in exercise when becoming unemployed (Gabrys et al, 2013), while others increase exercise during unemployment (Colman & Dave, 2013).…”

Time Use and Daily Activities of Late Adolescents in Contemporary Ireland

“…By bringing this occupational perspective to public health and health promotion initiatives, and the understanding of occupation and health at individual and population levels, occupational therapists and occupational scientists can contribute to the development of occupationally healthy public policy (Wilcock & Hocking, 2004). Occupational scientists and therapists are beginning to use time use research to explore key population health issues such as unemployment (Scanlan, Bundy, & Matthews, 2011), childhood obesity (Orban, Ellegård, Thorngren-Jerneck, & Erlandsson, 2012;Ziviani, Desha, Poulsen, & Whiteford, 2010) and enduring mental illness (Desha, Nicholson, & Ziviani, 2011;Eklund, Erlandsson, & Leufstadius, 2010), in some cases leading to the development of occupation-based interventions (Edgelow & Krupa, 2011). In addition to examining health issues for at-risk groups, occupational scientists also examine the daily lives of different age groups within the 'well' population including children (Lynch, 2009) and older people (Chilvers, Corr, & Singlehurst, 2010;King & Hunt, 2010), although studies of 'well' adolescents are absent.…”

Patterns and Predictors of Sitting among Women from Disad-Vantaged Neighbourhoods over Time: A 5-Year Prospective Cohort Study

“…Higher sitting time among full-time workers in the ALSWH may be explained by the fact that participants reported professional occupations (often involve desk-based activities). In contrast, it has been suggested that unemployed adults engage in more unhealthy lifestyle behaviour due to loss of motivation, low self-efficacy or stress [ 41 ], thus may reallocate time for leisure activities that are generally passive such as watching television [ 42 ]. It could also be that women are not working at baseline obtained jobs over the study period.…”