Abstract
The COVID-19 outbreak, which was followed by home confinement, is expected to have had profound negative impact on the mental health of people. Associated factors, such as losing jobs and income, can be expected to lead to an increased risk of suffering from psychopathological problems. Therefore, this study was aimed at researching the associations of job and income loss with mental health, as well as the possible mediating role of perceived financial stress during the COVID-19 outbreak. The sample included 2381 Spanish workers who were interviewed right after the first COVID-19 lockdown. Measures were taken for generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, working conditions, sociodemographic variables, and perceived financial stress. Logistic regression models were calculated with psychological variables as outcomes, and with job loss and income loss as predictors. Mediation analyses were performed by adding the financial threat as a mediator. Nineteen point six percent and 33.9% of participants reported having lost their jobs and incomes due to the pandemic, respectively. Only income loss was related to a higher risk of suffering from depression and panic attacks. When adding financial stress as a mediator, the indirect effects of job and income loss on the mental health measures were found to be significant, therefore indicating mediation. These findings pinpoint the vulnerability of this population, and highlight the need for interventional and preventive programs targeting mental health in economic crisis scenarios, such as the current one. They also highlight the importance of implementing social and income policies during the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent mental health problems.
Highlights
IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant negative impact on the psychological well-being of people [2]
We found that 26.9% of participants considered as active population reported having lost their jobs or being temporarily laid off after the first lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 42.5% suffered from income loss
We found perceived financial stress to mediate the relationship between job loss and mental health conditions
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant negative impact on the psychological well-being of people [2]. In China, Spain, Italy, Iran, the USA, Turkey, Denmark, and Nepal, increased rates were found for anxiety (6.33% to 50.9%), depression (14.6% to 48.3%), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; 7% to 53.8%), psychological distress (34.43% to 38%), and stress (8.1% to 81.9%) [4]. Such increased rates could have been caused by different factors in the context of the pandemic, Int. J.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
More From: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.