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Mental health effects of job loss in women

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Mary Amanda Dew ,
Evelyn J. Bromet  and
Lili Penkower
Mary Amanda Dew*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, State University of New York at Stony Brook; and Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, USA
Evelyn J. Bromet
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, State University of New York at Stony Brook; and Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, USA
Lili Penkower
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, State University of New York at Stony Brook; and Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, USA
*
1 Address for correspondence: Dr Mary Amanda Dew, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
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Synopsis

This paper reviews literature on the mental health effects of involuntary job loss among women. In addition, a prospective study of the effects of job loss on psychological distress in a cohort of blue-collar women is described. A total of 141 women, of whom 73 were laid off during the 12-month study period, were examined. The occurrence and duration of lay-off was significantly associated with increased depressive symptoms, but not anxiety-related symptoms, even after effects of pre-lay-off psychological symptoms, social supports and occupational stress were considered. There was no evidence that these effects of lay-off were moderated by other characteristics measured prior to lay-off. Among women who were laid off, those who reported poor levels of support from their husband or partner in the immediate aftermath of lay-off and those experiencing more financial difficulties during the lay-off had higher depression levels at follow-up. The nature of the lay-off as a chronic psychosocial stressor is discussed.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 22 , Issue 3 , August 1992 , pp. 751 - 764
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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