At the Intersection of Adverse Life Course Pathways: The Effects on Health by Migration Status.

Adverse life events are major causes of declining health and well-being, but the effects vary across subpopulations. We analyze how the intersection of migration status and sex relates to two main adverse life events-job loss and divorce-thereby affecting individual health and well-being trajectories. Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (1984-2017), we apply descriptive techniques and individual fixed-effects regressions to analyze how job loss and divorce influence the health of immigrants and nonimmigrants. Our results support the hypothesis that immigrants suffer more from adverse life events than nonimmigrants in both the short and the long run. Relative to nonimmigrants, immigrants have a health advantage at younger ages, which becomes a disadvantage at older ages, and this faster decline at older ages is particularly steep among immigrants who experience adverse life events. These results help explain the vanishing health advantage of immigrants by showing that they are exposed to a double disadvantage over the life course: immigrants are more likely than nonimmigrants to suffer from adverse life events, such as job loss, and these events typically have a larger impact on their health. Our findings are the first to provide evidence regarding the consequences of different adverse life events and how they relate to the intersection of migration status and sex. Moreover, our results highlight the importance of intersectional analyses in research on immigrant health.

Overindebtedness, unemployment, and poor mental health - and the role of sense of control: a population-based Swiss study.

Background: Both overindebtedness and unemployment are critical life events that can result in or lead to poor mental health. What is less known is that the two partly interrelated events frequently go along with a feeling of loss or lack of control in life, which could be the main reason why they are associated with poor mental health. This has not been examined in previous research, particularly not in this combination. Methods: This study used and merged two cross-sectional data sets. Data collected in 2019 on 219 overindebted clients of the four official debt advisory centers in the Canton of Zurich were linked with a comparable subsample of 1,997 respondents from the Swiss Health Survey of 2017. The entire study population covered 2,216 adult individuals living in the Canton of Zurich. Results: The prevalence of no or low sense of control, medium to high psychological distress, and moderate to major depression was much higher among the 44 solely unemployed (36/30/12%), the 189 solely overindebted (73/83/53%), and particularly among the 30 unemployed and overindebted (93/97/60%) than among all 1,953 other survey participants (21/13/7%). Unemployment, overindebtedness, and a (resulting) lack or loss of control were all found to be strong risk factors for the two mental health outcomes under study. Associations, or rather negative health effects, were partly but not fully mediated by the sense of control. Overindebtedness much more strongly predicted psychological distress (ß = -0.37) and depression (ß = 0.17) than unemployment (ß = -0.05/0.01). The sense of control turned out to be an independent explanatory factor for poor mental health and even the strongest of all (ß = 0.49/-0.59). Conclusion: Improving a person's control beliefs could be a promising measure for preventing mental health disorders in general and in people who are unemployed and/or overindebted in particular.

Prevalence and associated factors of neurocognitive disorder among people living with HIV/AIDS in the South Gondar zone primary hospitals, North-West Ethiopia: an institution-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence and associated factors of neurocognitive disorder among people living with HIV/AIDS in South Gondar primary hospitals, North-West Ethiopia, 2023. DESIGN: Institution-based cross-sectional study design. SETTING: South Gondar primary hospitals, North-West Ethiopia. PARTICIPANTS: 608 participants were recruited using the systematic random sampling technique. MEASUREMENT: Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire and medical chart reviews. The International HIV Dementia Scale was used to screen for neurocognitive disorder. The data were entered through EPI-DATA V.4.6 and exported to SPSS V.21 statistical software for analysis. In the bivariable logistic regression analyses, variables with a value of p<0.25 were entered into a multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify factors independently associated with neurocognitive disorder. Statistical significance was declared at a value of p<0.05. RESULTS: The prevalence of neurocognitive disorder among HIV-positive participants was 39.1%. In multivariable logistic regression, lower level of education (adjusted OR (AOR)=2.94; 95% CI 1.29 to 6.82), unemployment (AOR=2.74; 95% CI 1.29 to 6.84) and comorbid medical illness (AOR=1.80; 95% CI 1.03 to 3.14) were significantly associated with neurocognitive disorder. CONCLUSION: HIV-associated neurocognitive problems affected over a third of the participants. According to the current study, comorbid medical conditions, unemployment and low educational attainment are associated with an increased risk of neurocognitive disorder. Therefore, early detection and treatment are essential.

Psychological implications of unemployment among higher educated migrant youth in Kolkata City, India.

Mental health issues are intricately linked to socioeconomic background, employment and migration status. However, there remains a gap in understanding the mental health challenges faced by graduate youth in India, particularly in Kolkata City. This study aims to assess the prevalence and associated risk factors of depression, anxiety, and stress among higher-educated migrant youth. A survey was conducted on four hundred migrant graduate youths aged 21-35 residing in Kolkata. Measures included socio-demographics and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression were employed to identify factors associated with mental health issues. The overall prevalence rates were 54.4% for depression, 61.8% for anxiety, and 47.9% for stress. Unemployed youths exhibited significantly more symptoms of depression and anxiety than their employed counter parts. The logistic regression model showed that unemployed youth, female sex, never married, and second- and third-time migrant youths were risk factors for high scores on the DASS-21. This study showed that mental health issues were alarming in the higher educated migrant youth. The study suggests the implementation of skill-based, job-oriented, and professional courses at the graduation level to prevent graduates from being rendered unproductive and jobless. Beside these, regular psychological support should be provided to the higher educated youth by the local governments.

How do labour market conditions explain the development of mental health over the life-course? a conceptual integration of the ecological model with life-course epidemiology in an integrative review of results from the Northern Swedish Cohort.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to contribute to the theoretical development within the field of labour market effects on mental health during life by integrating Bronfenbrenner's ecological model with mainly earlier theoretical work on life-course theory. METHODS: An integrative review was performed of all 52 publications about labour market conditions in relation to mental health from the longitudinal Northern Swedish Cohort study. Inductive and deductive qualitative content analysis were performed in relation to Bronfenbrenner's ecological framework combined with life-course theories. RESULTS: The following nine themes were identified: 1. Macroeconomic recession impairs mental health among young people. 2. The mental health effects on individuals of youth unemployment seem rather insensitive to recession. 3. Small but consistent negative effect of neighbourhood unemployment and other work-related disadvantaged on individuals' mental health over life. 4. Youth unemployment becomes embodied as scars of mental ill-health over life. 5. Weak labour market attachment impairs mental health over life. 6. Bidirectional relations between health and weak labour market attachment over life. 7. Macrolevel structures are of importance for how labour market position cause poor health. 8. Unequal gender relations at work impacts negatively on mental health. 9. The agency to improve health over life in dyadic relations. Unemployment in society permeates from the macrolevel into the exolevel, defined by Bronfenbrenner as for example the labour market of parents or partners or the neighbourhood into the settings closest to the individual (the micro- and mesolevel) and affects the relations between the work, family, and leisure spheres of the individual. Neighbourhood unemployment leads to poor health among those who live there, independent of their employment status. Individuals' exposure to unemployment and temporary employment leads to poorer mental health over the life-course. Temporal dimensions were identified and combined with Bronfenbrenner levels into a contextual life-course model CONCLUSION: Combining the ecosocial theory with life-course theories provides a framework for understanding the embodiment of work-related mental health over life. The labour market conditions surrounding the individual are of crucial importance for the embodiment of mental health over life, at the same time as individual agency can be health promoting. Mental health can be improved by societal efforts in regulations of the labour market.

Analyzing the impact of unemployment on mental health among Chinese university graduates: a study of emotional and linguistic patterns on Weibo.

Purpose: This study explores the intricate relationship between unemployment rates and emotional responses among Chinese university graduates, analyzing how these factors correlate with specific linguistic features on the popular social media platform Sina Weibo. The goal is to uncover patterns that elucidate the psychological and emotional dimensions of unemployment challenges among this demographic. Methods: The analysis utilized a dataset of 30,540 Sina Weibo posts containing specific keywords related to unemployment and anxiety, collected from January 2019 to June 2023. The posts were pre-processed to eliminate noise and refine the data quality. Linear regression and textual analyses were employed to identify correlations between unemployment rates for individuals aged 16-24 and the linguistic characteristics of the posts. Results: The study found significant fluctuations in urban youth unemployment rates, peaking at 21.3% in June 2023. A corresponding increase in anxiety-related expressions was noted in the social media posts, with peak expressions aligning with high unemployment rates. Linguistic analysis revealed that the category of "Affect" showed a strong positive correlation with unemployment rates, indicating increased emotional expression alongside rising unemployment. Other categories such as "Negative emotion" and "Sadness" also showed significant correlations, highlighting a robust relationship between economic challenges and emotional distress. Conclusion: The findings underscore the profound impact of unemployment on the emotional well-being of university students, suggesting that economic hardships are closely linked to psychological stress and heightened negative emotions. This study contributes to a holistic understanding of the socio-economic challenges faced by young adults, advocating for comprehensive support systems that address both the economic and psychological facets of unemployment.

Efficacy of the iJobs Web-Based Psychoeducational Intervention to Improve Job Search Behavior and Promote Mental Health Among Unemployed People: Protocol for a Waitlist Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Unemployment affects millions of people worldwide and, beyond its economic impact, has severe implications for people's well-being and mental health. Different programs have been developed in response to this phenomenon, but to date, job-search interventions have proved to be most effective, especially the JOBS II program. The JOBS II program proved not only to be effective for re-employment but also has a positive impact on beneficiaries' mental health (ie, reduces anxiety or depression). However, by now, this evidence-based program has been delivered only on site in the various countries where it was implemented. In the digital era, web-based alternatives to such programs are highly needed because they have the advantages of scalability and cost-effectiveness. OBJECTIVE: In this context, we aim to investigate the efficacy of iJobs, the web-based adaptation of the JOBS II program, on job-search intensity and effort, the quality of job-search behaviors, and job-search self-efficacy. Further, 1 month after the intervention, we will also assess the employment status and the satisfaction with the job (if applicable). This study will also investigate the effect of iJobs on well-being and mental health (ie, anxiety and depression). METHODS: This study is a 2-arm randomized controlled trial. The 2 independent groups (intervention vs waiting list control group) will be crossed with 3 measurement times (ie, baseline, the postintervention time point, and 1-month follow-up). The design will be a 2 (intervention vs control) × 3 (baseline, the postintervention time point, and 1-month follow-up) factorial design. iJobs is a 2-week intervention consisting of 6 modules: an introductive module and 5 modules adapted from the original JOBS II program to the web-based setting and Romanian population. The web-based intervention also has a human component, as beneficiaries receive personalized written feedback after each module on the platform from a team of psychologists involved in the project. RESULTS: The enrollment of study participants started in June 2023 and is expected to end in May 2024. The data collection is expected to be completed by July 2024. The results are expected to be submitted for publication in the summer of 2024. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first large-scale randomized controlled trial aiming to test the efficacy of a web-based adaptation of the JOBS II program. If our results support the efficacy of iJobs, they will offer the premise for it to become an evidence-based, accessible alternative for unemployed people in Romania and might be implemented in other countries. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05962554; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05962554. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/55374.

Risk of not being in employment, education or training (NEET) in late adolescence is signalled by school readiness measures at 4-5 years.

BACKGROUND: Not being in employment, education, or training (NEET) is associated with poor health (physical and mental) and social exclusion. We investigated whether England's statutory school readiness measure conducted at 4-5 years provides a risk signal for NEET in late adolescence. METHODS: We identified 8,118 individuals with school readiness measures at 4-5 years and NEET records at 16-17 years using Connected Bradford, a bank of linked routinely collected datasets. Children were categorised as 'school ready' if they reached a 'Good Level of Development' on the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile. We used probit regression and structural equation modelling to investigate the relationship between school readiness and NEET status and whether it primarily relates to academic attainment. RESULTS: School readiness was significantly associated with NEET status. A larger proportion of young people who were not school ready were later NEET (11%) compared to those who were school ready (4%). Most of this effect was attributable to shared relationships with academic attainment, but there was also a direct effect. Measures of deprivation and Special Educational Needs were also strong predictors of NEET status. CONCLUSIONS: NEET risk factors occur early in life. School readiness measures could be used as early indicators of risk, with interventions targeted to prevent the long-term physical and mental health problems associated with NEET, especially in disadvantaged areas. Primary schools are therefore well placed to be public health partners in early intervention strategies.

Predictors of MOUD referral among persons with involvement in the criminal legal system.

INTRODUCTION: Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a significant cause of opioid-related fatality, and while medications to treat OUD (MOUD) are effective, disparities remain in the access and uptake of such medications. This study investigated factors that may influence referral to and initiation of MOUD treatment. METHODS: Data from electronic medical records of 677 patients with a history of criminal legal system involvement in a recovery program were used to examine the flow of MOUD referral. RESULTS: Among patients identified as potentially eligible for MOUD treatment, about 38.0 percent were referred and 18.8 percent were confirmed to initiate MOUD treatment. Logistic regression analyses highlighted female gender and unemployment due to incarceration as positive and negative predictors of referral, respectively. The Chi-square test revealed that women and uninsured patients were more likely to initiate referred MOUD treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Data highlight the need for greater connection between referral agencies and MOUD treatment providers, considering factors that may influence referral.

Diversity patterns in non-standard employment and their relationship with self-rated health in urban China from 2010 to 2021.

In recent decades, the rise of non-standard employment in China is thought to profoundly influence workers' health. Using data from the China General Social Survey 2010-2021, this study compares the self-rated health of workers engaged in various non-standard employment types with those in unemployment or standard employment in urban China. The research also investigates how these patterns have evolved over time among urban residents with different hukou types amid the expansion of China's welfare system and labor market shifts. We find that while unemployment is significantly related to worse self-rated health, the effects vary across different types of non-standard employment. Precarious employment has a more substantial adverse effect on health than part-time and self-employment, although the effect is less severe than that of unemployment. Between 2010 and 2018, the health impact of precarious employment declined, aligning with China's enhanced welfare system. However, its negative effect re-emerged in 2021. These patterns are particularly pronounced for urban residents holding agricultural hukou, highlighting the intersection of non-standard employment with the household registration system in shaping health outcomes within evolving labor markets.

Precarious employment in young adulthood and later alcohol-related morbidity: a register-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of precarious employment is increasing, particularly among young adults where less is known about the long-term health consequences. The present study aims to test if being precariously employed in young adulthood is associated with an increased risk of alcohol-related morbidity later in life. METHODS: A register-based cohort study was conducted in Sweden. The Swedish Work, Illness, and Labor-market Participation (SWIP) cohort was used to identify individuals who were aged 27 years between 2000 and 2003 (n=339 403). Information on labour market position (precarious employment, long-term unemployment, substandard employment and standard employment relations) was collected for young people 3 years after graduation from school using nationwide registers. Details about alcohol-related morbidity during a 28-year follow-up period were collected from the National Hospital Discharge Register. Data on sex, age, country of birth, education and previous poor health were also obtained from the registers. RESULTS: Young adults in precarious employment had an increased risk of alcohol-related morbidity compared with individuals of the same age in standard employment (HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.32 to 1.55), after adjusting for several important covariates. A stronger association was found among young men who were precariously employed compared with young women. CONCLUSION: This nationwide register-based study conducted in Sweden with a long-term follow-up suggests that being precariously employed in young adulthood is associated with an increased risk of alcohol-related morbidity later in life.

Modelling for disability: How does artificial intelligence affect unemployment among people with disability? An empirical analysis of linear and nonlinear effects.

There is a growing debate among scholars regarding the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the employment opportunities and professional development of people with disability. Although there has been an increasing body of empirical research on the topic, it has generally yielded conflicting findings. This study contributes to the ongoing debate by examining the linear and nonlinear effects of AI on the unemployment of people with disability in 40 countries between 2007 and 2021. Using the system Generalized Methods of Moments and panel smooth transition regression, the main conclusions are as follows. First, AI reduces the unemployment of people with disability in the full sample. Second, upon disaggregating the sample based on income level (high income/non-high income) and gender (men/women), the linear model only detects an inverse correlation between AI and unemployment among people with disability in high-income countries and among men, whereas it does not influence unemployment in non-high-income countries and women. Third, the panel smooth transition regression model suggests that the effects of AI on the unemployment of people with disability and among women are only observed once artificial intelligence interest search exceeds a specific threshold level. The effects of AI in non-high-income economies and among women are not significant in the lower regime, which confirms the nonlinear association between AI and the unemployment rate of people with disability. These findings have important policy implications for facilitating the integration of people with disability into the labor market.

Long-term benzodiazepine use and risk of labor market marginalization in Finland: A cohort study with 5-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Benzodiazepines and related drugs (BZDRs) are widely used in the treatment of anxiety and sleep disorders, but cognitive adverse effects have been reported in long-term use, and these may increase the risk of labor market marginalization (LMM). The aim of this study was to investigate whether the risk of LMM is associated with new long-term BZDR use compared to short-term use. METHODS: This register-based nationwide cohort study from Finland included 37,703 incident BZDR users aged 18-60 years who initiated BZDR use in 2006. During the first year of use, BZDR users were categorized as long-term users (≥180 days) versus short-term users based on PRE2DUP method. The main outcome was LMM, defined as receipt of disability pension, long-term sickness absence (>90 days), or long-term unemployment (>180 days). The risk of outcomes was analyzed with Cox regression models, adjusted with sociodemographic background, somatic and psychiatric morbidity, other types of medication and previous sickness absence. RESULTS: During 5 years of follow-up, long-term use (34.4%, N = 12,962) was associated with 27% (adjusted Hazard Ratio, aHR 1.27, 95% CI 1.23-1.31) increased risk of LMM compared with short-term use. Long-term use was associated with 42% (aHR 1.42, 95% CI 1.34-1.50) increased risk of disability pension and 26% increased risk of both long-term unemployment and long-term sickness absence. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that long-term use of BZDRs is associated with increased risk of dropping out from labor market. This may be partly explained by cognitive adverse effects of prolonged BZDR use, which should be taken into account when prescribing BZDRs.

Effects of parental job loss on psychotropic drug use in children: Long-term effects, timing, and cumulative exposure.

Intra-family crossover effects triggered by job losses have received growing attention across scientific disciplines, but existing research has reached discrepant conclusions concerning if, and if so how, parental job losses affect child mental health. Drawing on sociological models of stress and life course epidemiology, we ask if parental job losses have long-term effects on child mental health, and if these effects are conditional on the timing of, or the cumulative exposure to, job losses. We use intergenerationally linked Swedish register data combined with entropy balance and structural nested mean models for the analyses. The data allow us to track 400,000 children over 14 years and thereby test different life-course models of cross-over effects. We identify involuntary job losses using information on workplace closures, thus reducing the risk of confounding. Results show that paternal but not maternal job loss significantly increases the risk of psychotropic drug use among children, that the average effects are modest in size (less than 4% in relative terms), that they may persist for up to five years, and that they are driven by children aged 6-10 years. Moreover, cumulative exposure to multiple job losses are more harmful than zero or one job loss.

Trends and regional distribution in health-related quality of life across sex and employment status: a repeated population-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the association between sex and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) based on employment status. METHODS: This was a population-based cross-sectional study. Data were collected from 1 996 153 adults aged ≥19 years who participated in the Korea Community Health Survey from 2011 to 2019. Low HRQoL was classified based on separate cutoff points (males: 0.92, females: 0.90) on the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions index. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs. RESULTS: From 2011 to 2019, the trend of the prevalence of low HRQoL levels was consistently high in the order of unemployed males, unemployed females, employed males, and employed females. Regarding the regional distribution of unemployed males, the prevalence of low HRQoL was 29.5% to 43.5%. Unemployed males had a higher prevalence of low HRQoL (OR: 1.15; 95% CI: 1.12-1.24) than employed males. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the prevalence of low HRQoL levels among unemployed males was consistently high at the annual trend and regional levels. Further research considering comprehensive health determinants and multidimensional public health interventions is required to prevent deterioration of HRQoL during unemployment.

Impacts of Working Hours, Wages, and Regular Employment Opportunity on Suicide Mortalities of Employed and Unemployed Individuals before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan.

Standardized suicide mortality rates per 100,000 population (SMRs) in Japan consistently decreased from 2009-2019, but these decreasing trends were reversed to increase in 2020. To clarify the mechanisms of recent increasing suicide in Japan, temporal fluctuations of SMRs disaggregated by sex and employment status (employed and unemployed individuals) and labor indices such as working hours, wages, and regular employment opportunity index (REO) from January 2012 to June 2023 were analyzed using interrupted time-series analysis. Additionally, temporal causalities from labor indices to SMRs were analyzed using vector autoregressive and non-linear auto-regressive distributed lag analyses. Decreasing trends among employed SMRs of both sexes were attenuated after the enactment of the "Work Style Reform Program" in 2018, but male SMRs were unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, female employed SMRs sharply increased, synchronized with the "Work Style Reform Act" and the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak (the COVID-19 impact was greater than the "Work Style Reform Act"). Additionally, unemployed SMRs of both sexes sharply increased with the revision and scale-down of countermeasures against economic deterioration caused by COVID-19 ("revision of economic supportive countermeasures against economic deterioration caused by COVID-19"). Unexpectedly, after enacting the "Work Style Reform Act", wages decreased due to possibly decreasing working hours. Increasing REO, which consistently increased, was a protective factor for male suicides, but unemployed SMRs were not affected by any labor indices. It has been established that controlling a heavy workload plays an important role in suppressing the deterioration of physical and mental conditions, including suicide; however, this study suggested that, at least within appropriate ranges of working hours, decreasing working hours due to excessive management probably contributes to increasing suicides of some vulnerable individuals via de-creasing their wages. Although governmental welfare and economic support measures had to be revised according to rapidly changing situations during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study also suggested that temporal gaps among a part of revisions of several welfare and economic support measures were unexpectedly involved in drastically/sharply increasing suicides of unemployed individuals in 2022.

Changes in family situation and concurrent changes in working life: a 15-year longitudinal analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Currently, little is known regarding changes in family situation with concurrent changes in working life. This study aimed to examine whether changes in family situation (based on living with children and/or marrying/divorcing) were associated with changes in working life and whether the associations were influenced by sex, genetics and early life environment. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Data from Swedish national registers of 16 410 twins were used. Fixed-effects logistic regression models assessing ORs with 95% CIs were applied to examine associations between changes in family situation and working life controlling for time-invariant effects and adjusted for covariates, and conditional models to account for confounding of genetics and early life environment. RESULTS: Changes in individuals life situation from being single and living without children to married and living with children were associated with transitioning from unsustainable (ie, having unemployment or sickness absence/disability pension) to sustainable working life (men: OR 2.40, 95% CI 2.26 to 2.56; women: OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.59 to 1.78). Changes from being married to single, in contrast, attenuated the likelihood of transitioning to a sustainable working life. Moreover, changes in men's working life seem to be more dependent on changes in family situation compared with women. Genetic factors and early life environment play a role in the associations. CONCLUSIONS: Family formation increases the likelihood of a more stable working life whereas divorce is a risk factor for work interruptions. Our study emphasises that family formation improves the work life situation and to a higher degree for men.

Does country of resettlement influence the risk of labor market marginalization among refugees? A cohort study in Sweden and Norway.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare the risk of labor market marginalization among refugees across different host countries of resettlement and examine the moderating role of birth country and length of stay on these associations. METHODS: Cohorts of refugees and native-born individuals aged 19-60 in Sweden (N=3 605 949, 3.5% refugees) and Norway (N=1 784 861, 1.7% refugees) were followed during 2010-2016. Rates (per 1000 person-years) of long-term unemployment, long-term sickness absence, and disability pension were estimated for refugees and the host populations. Cox regression models estimated crude and adjusted (for sex, age, educational level, and civil status) hazard ratio (HRadj) for refugees compared to their respective host population, with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Analyses were also stratified by birth country and length of stay. RESULTS: Refugees in Norway and Sweden had a higher incidence of labor market marginalization compared to their host population. Refugees in Sweden had a comparatively lower relative risk of long-term unemployment but higher risk of disability pension (HRadj 3.44, 95% CI, 3.38-3.50 and HRadj 2.45, 2.35-2.56, respectively) than refugees in Norway (HRadj 3.70, 3.58-3.82 and HRadj 1.57, 1.49-1.66, respectively). These relative risks varied when stratifying by birth country. A shorter length of stay was associated with a higher risk of long-term unemployment and a lower risk of disability pension, with a stronger gradient in Sweden than in Norway. CONCLUSIONS: The relative risk of labor market marginalization varied by the refugees' birth country but followed similar trends in Sweden and Norway. Although speculative, these findings may hint at non-structural factors related to the refugee experience playing a more important role than host country structural factors for the risk of labor market marginalization among refugees. Future research, including host countries with more variability in structural factors, is required to further investigate these associations. The higher risk of long-term unemployment among refugees with shorter length of stay indicates a need for more efficient labor market integration policies for newly-arrived refugees.

Partner's unemployment and subjective well-being: The mediating role of relationship functioning.

Unemployment affects not only the subjective well-being of the individual, but also that of the partner. Based on the life course perspective and the spillover-crossover-model, we examine the mediating role of relationship functioning for such crossover effects of partner's unemployment on subjective well-being. We also test whether gender differences in the mechanism of relationship functioning can explain the larger overall crossover effects on women compared to men. We use data from the German Family Panel pairfam (2008/09-2018/19), which provide more direct and comprehensive measures of relationship functioning than previous research, and allow us to examine couples' communication and interactions, their conflict styles and behaviors, relationship satisfaction, and perceived relationship instability as mediators. To analyze the impact of the partner's transition to unemployment on subjective well-being, we use fixed effects panel regression models and the product method of mediation analysis to estimate the indirect effects of relationship functioning. The results show that a partner's transition to unemployment has a negative impact on one's own well-being. The effects are more pronounced for women than men which can be partly explained by gender-specific effects of the partner's unemployment on various aspects of relationship functioning, rather than by differential effects of the latter on one's own well-being.