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Is Being Employed Always Better for Mental Wellbeing Than Being Unemployed? Exploring the Role of Gender and Welfare State Regimes during the Economic Crisis

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  • Imma Cortès-Franch

    (Health and Work Department, Agència de Salut Pública, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
    CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
    Institute of Biomedical Research (IIB-Sant Pau), 08041 Barcelona, Spain
    Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Preventive Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain)

  • Vanessa Puig-Barrachina

    (Health and Work Department, Agència de Salut Pública, 08023 Barcelona, Spain)

  • Hernán Vargas-Leguás

    (Health and Work Department, Agència de Salut Pública, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
    Center for Research in Occupational Health, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08002 Barcelona, Spain)

  • M. Marta Arcas

    (Health and Work Department, Agència de Salut Pública, 08023 Barcelona, Spain)

  • Lucía Artazcoz

    (Health and Work Department, Agència de Salut Pública, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
    CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
    Institute of Biomedical Research (IIB-Sant Pau), 08041 Barcelona, Spain
    Center for Research in Occupational Health, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08002 Barcelona, Spain)

Abstract

The growth of poor jobs related to economic crisis adds to its increase since the mid-1970s as a result of new forms of flexible employment. In Europe, there is no clear evidence on whether working in a poor-quality job is better for mental wellbeing than being unemployed. The objectives of this study were to compare mental wellbeing between the unemployed and those working in jobs with different quality levels and to examine gender and welfare state differences in Europe. We selected 8324 men and 7496 women from the European Social Survey, 2010. Hierarchical multiple logistic regression models were fitted, separated by sex and country group. No significant differences in mental wellbeing were shown between unemployed-non-active, unemployed-active, and those working in low-quality jobs in either sex. Only men from Conservative countries in low-quality jobs had better mental wellbeing than unemployed (non-active) men. Only having a good-quality job reduced the likelihood of poor mental wellbeing compared with being unemployed (non-active) among men in all countries (except Social-Democratic) and among women in Eastern and Southern European countries. No differences were observed among men or women in Social-Democratic countries, while strong gender differences were found in Conservative and Liberal countries. Our study indicates the need to take job quality into account, in addition to creating jobs during economic crises. The main mechanisms to explain the strong gender and welfare state differences identified could be social protection for unemployed, labor market regulations, and family models.

Suggested Citation

  • Imma Cortès-Franch & Vanessa Puig-Barrachina & Hernán Vargas-Leguás & M. Marta Arcas & Lucía Artazcoz, 2019. "Is Being Employed Always Better for Mental Wellbeing Than Being Unemployed? Exploring the Role of Gender and Welfare State Regimes during the Economic Crisis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-16, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:23:p:4799-:d:292293
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    References listed on IDEAS

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