You would think that by not working we would have more time for exercise. However, that does not seem to be the case. Results of a study on the impacts unemployment has on health.
We think that unemployment will finally give us enough free time to do sports, take care of ourselves and eat healthier. Beware of misinterpretation! In fact, according to a recent American study by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), weight gain and the substantial decline in physical activity seem to be the first consequences on unemployment-related health.
Thus, the recent economic crisis has not only left its mark on the labor market, but also on the overall health of people who have lost their jobs.
The authors of this new study, Gregory Colman and Dhaval Dave, economic researchers at Pace University and Bentley, examined these effects based on behavior related to physical health during the recession. They were able to see that “becoming unemployed is associated with a small increase in free time that could be spent on exercise, but paradoxically a slight weight gain also”. A drop in tobacco consumption and a consequent decrease in physical activity are also highlighted.
However, the authors caution in the introduction of their study that generalizations should be avoided, since there are different behaviors when it comes to health. These can vary according to the financial resources, family situation, early period of unemployment, how the loss of a job is lived with and gender.
Following this study, The New York Times, CBS News and the Kaiser Family Foundation conducted, last month, a survey of unemployed Americans, aged between 25 and 54 years old. And respondents mostly said that unemployment had a negative impact on their physical and mental health and on the quality of their sleep.
The New York Times also reports that respondents did not seem to use their free time to do more exercise. No less than 57% of them said to spend more time doing sedentary activities like reading, watching television or being online.
Only 15% of respondents reported spending less time practicing this kind of activities.
Indirect consequences
According to The New York Times, the decreasing number of jobs on the market and the economic situation that the United-States is currently facing could have consequences other than economic ones, in particular affecting the costs of the health system and pushing up mortality rates.
“There are indirect costs attached to people without long-term employment” said New York Times’ Gregory Colman, economist at the University of Pace and coauthor of the study. “Unemployment-related problems do not disappear as soon as you find a job. The long-term effects of obesity persist.”
Effects on mental health
If this NBER study is one of few to mention a causal link between the lack of jobs and physical health, the links between mental health and job loss have been proven.
Increased anxiety, stress, symptoms of malaise, depression and even suicide , other studies have shown that unemployment affects mental health.
“Depression can be a normal reaction to a difficult situation like unemployment, explains Camillo Zacchia, psychologist and principal advisor at the Bureau d’éducation en santé mentale (BESM) of Douglas Institute in Montreal. Losing your job is a stress factor Losing a job is an extreme stressor in itself and will have a significant impact on mood,” he explains.
However, the expert reminded, it’s important not to generalize as each individual has his or her own way of managing a situation and dealing with difficult times. “Losing a job is a challenge and each manages its own way. Some people will feel useless or anxious and they may be quickly affected by anxiety. Others are able to remain optimistic and digest a job loss because they are certain to find something else quickly but if this is not the case, they also run the risk of experiencing depression” concludes the psychologist.