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Unemployment Syndrome during COVID-19: A Comparison of Three Population Groups

Author

Listed:
  • Anna Bocchino

    (Nursing University Salus Infirmorum of Cadiz, 11001 Cadiz, Spain)

  • Ester Gilart

    (Lopez Cano Hospital of Cadiz, 11010 Cadiz, Spain)

  • Inmaculada Cabrera Roman

    (Emergency Department Bahia de Cadiz, University of Cadiz, La Janda, 11001 Cadiz, Spain)

  • Isabel Lepiani

    (Nursing University Salus Infirmorum of Cadiz, 11001 Cadiz, Spain)

Abstract

Introduction: Of the serious problems that characterise the current crisis in Spain, the most alarming and revealing is unemployment, which, despite being so common, continues to be quite a negative experience for most people, often with serious negative effects on their biopsychosocial health. The perpetuation of this situation has given rise to a new syndrome of the unemployed. If these effects of economic downsizing are accompanied by the magnitude of the current situation brought about by COVID-19, the results can be devastating for the individuals and families experiencing it. Objective: To compare the symptoms of the unemployed syndrome in three population groups. Method: Three groups were studied: short-term unemployed ( n = 91), long-term unemployed ( n = 150), and those unemployed during the COVID-19 pandemic ( n = 94). Unemployment syndrome was assessed with the Unemployment Syndrome Scale (USS). The three population groups were contacted through web pages, social networks, etc. and answered the instruments online in a single session. Once the responses were obtained, their information was encoded in a database and analysed through the SPSS v. 21 program. Population groups were compared using the ANOVA analysis and the Bonferroni post hoc test. Results: The unemployed individuals who lost their job during the pandemic reported higher scores in the symptoms of the Unemployed Syndrome Scale compared to the long- and short-term unemployed individuals. ANOVA analyses for symptoms of USS were all significant in the different groups considering a significance level of <0.005. Participants who were unemployed for less than one year had lower scores in the USS than the long-term unemployed participants and those unemployed during the COVID-19 pandemic that reported a significantly higher number of symptoms in the USS.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna Bocchino & Ester Gilart & Inmaculada Cabrera Roman & Isabel Lepiani, 2021. "Unemployment Syndrome during COVID-19: A Comparison of Three Population Groups," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-9, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:14:p:7372-:d:591758
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Couch, Kenneth A. & Fairlie, Robert W. & Xu, Huanan, 2020. "Early evidence of the impacts of COVID-19 on minority unemployment," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    2. Kim Usher & Navjot Bhullar & Debra Jackson, 2020. "Life in the pandemic: Social isolation and mental health," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(15-16), pages 2756-2757, August.
    3. Tiffany Chenneville & Kemesha Gabbidon & Patricia Hanson & Cashea Holyfield, 2020. "The Impact of COVID-19 on HIV Treatment and Research: A Call to Action," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-14, June.
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