Negative Employment Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Psychological Distress: Evidence From a Nationally Representative Survey in the U.S. Issue 11 (November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Matthews, Timothy A.; Chen, Liwei; Chen, Zhuo; Han, Xuesong; Shi, Lu; Li, Yan; Wen, Ming; Zhang, Donglan; Li, Hongmei; Su, Dejun; Li, Jian
• Is Part Of: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine. Volume 63:Issue 11(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-11
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- ethnic groups -- mental health -- occupational health -- unemployment; Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Occupational Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental health; Medicine, Industrial; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002325
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1076-2752

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: We examined associations of negative employment changes during the COVID-19 pandemic with mental health in a national sample of U.S. workers, and whether the associations differed by race. Methods: Data were from the Health, Ethnicity, and Pandemic Study, a cross-sectional survey. The effects of negative employment changes on psychological distress in 1510 workers were examined via linear regression, and stratified analyses were conducted across racial subgroups. Results: After adjustment for covariates, compared to workers with no change in employment, those who experienced permanent job loss had the highest psychological distress (β and 95% CI = 3.27 [1.89, 4.65]). Permanent job loss had the greatest effect on psychological distress in Blacks and Asians. Conclusion: Negative employment changes related to the pandemic may have deleterious impacts on workers' mental health, with disproportionate effects on racial minorities. Abstract : Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text