Employment Uncertainty and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic Initial Social Distancing Implementation: a Cross-national Study.
Glob Soc Welf
; 8(2): 141-150, 2021.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1023374
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in changes in the work environment and employment uncertainty. This paper reports on a cross-national comparison of four countries (Norway, UK, USA and Australia) and examines the differences in mental health between those individuals employed and those not employed during the social distancing implementation.METHODS:
Participants (N = 3,810) were recruited through social media in April/May 2020 and were invited to complete a self-administered electronic survey over a 3-week period. Differences between those employed and those not employed with regard to their sociodemographic characteristics and mental health were investigated with chi-square tests, independent t tests, and one-way analysis of variances (ANOVAs).RESULTS:
Compared with their counterparts, participants who were employed reported lower levels of mental health distress (p < 0.001), higher levels of psychosocial well-being (p < 0.001), better overall quality of life (p < 0.001), and lower levels of overall loneliness, social loneliness, and emotional loneliness (p < 0.001). Small to medium but consistent differences (Cohen's d = 0.23-0.67) in mental health favor those with employment or those who were retired.CONCLUSION:
Further study is needed to assess mental health over time as the COVID-19 pandemic and employment uncertainty continues.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Language:
English
Journal:
Glob Soc Welf
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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