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Self-reported unemployment status and recession: An analysis on the Italian population with and without mental health problems

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  • Fabrizio Starace
  • Francesco Mungai
  • Elena Sarti
  • Tindara Addabbo

Abstract

Purpose: During economic recession people with mental health problems have higher risk of losing their job. This paper analyses the issue by considering the Italian rates of unemployment amongst individuals with and without mental health problems in 2005 and 2013, that is prior and during the economic crisis. Methods: We used data from the National surveys on “Health conditions and use of health services” carried out by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) for the years 2005 and 2013. The surveys collected information on the health status and socioeconomic conditions of the Italian population. Self-reported unemployment status was analysed amongst individuals with and without reported mental health problems. In addition, descriptive statistics were performed in order to detect possible differences in the risk of unemployment within different regional contexts characterised by different socio-economic conditions. Results: The recession determined increased disparities in unemployment rates between people with and without mental health problems. Regardless to the presence of mental health problems, young people were more likely to be unemployed. Among people who reported mental health problems, males were more likely to be unemployed than females. People with low education level were more likely to be unemployed, particularly during the recession and in presence of mental health problems. Changes in unemployment rates due to the crisis showed different patterns across different regions of the Country. Conclusions: These analyses confirm that in periods of economic crisis people with mental health problems are at risk of experiencing exclusion from labour market. In addition, the impact is even worse within the group with low education and younger age. These findings emphasise the importance of specific interventions aimed at promoting labour market participation and reintegration for people with mental health problems.

Suggested Citation

  • Fabrizio Starace & Francesco Mungai & Elena Sarti & Tindara Addabbo, 2017. "Self-reported unemployment status and recession: An analysis on the Italian population with and without mental health problems," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(4), pages 1-13, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0174135
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174135
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    Cited by:

    1. Stefano Tripi & Giorgio Mattei, 2020. "COVID-19 e Pubblica Amministrazione: implicazioni dello smart working per il management e per la salute mentale dei lavoratori (COVID-19 and Public Administration: implications of smart working for ma," Department of Economics (DEMB) 0171, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Department of Economics "Marco Biagi".
    2. Giorgio Mattei & Barbara Pistoresi & Gianmaria Galeazzi, 2020. "La relazione tra credito e comportamento suicidario in Italia," Department of Economics 0161, University of Modena and Reggio E., Faculty of Economics "Marco Biagi".
    3. Walsh, Brendan & Doorley, Karina, 2022. "Occupations and health," Papers BP2023/3, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    4. Giorgio Mattei & Barbara Pistoresi, 2019. "Unemployment and suicide in Italy: evidence of a long-run association mitigated by public unemployment spending," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 20(4), pages 569-577, June.
    5. Matilde Leonardi & Davide Guido & Rui Quintas & Fabiola Silvaggi & Erika Guastafierro & Andrea Martinuzzi & Somnath Chatterji & Seppo Koskinen & Beata Tobiasz-Adamczyk & Josep Maria Haro & Maria Cabel, 2018. "Factors Related to Unemployment in Europe. A Cross-Sectional Study from the COURAGE Survey in Finland, Poland and Spain," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-21, April.
    6. Panagiotis Volkos & Emmanouil K Symvoulakis, 2021. "Impact of financial crisis on mental health: A literature review ‘puzzling’ findings from several countries," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 67(7), pages 907-919, November.
    7. George Grekousis, 2018. "Further Widening or Bridging the Gap? A Cross-Regional Study of Unemployment across the EU Amid Economic Crisis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-18, May.
    8. Stefano Tripi & Giorgio Mattei, 2020. "COVID-19 e Pubblica Amministrazione: implicazioni dello smart working per il management e per la salute mentale dei lavoratori (COVID-19 and Public Administration: implications of smart working for ma," Department of Economics 0171, University of Modena and Reggio E., Faculty of Economics "Marco Biagi".

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