Impact of Unemployment on Mental Health
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Posted By Alex Perez - Mental Health Writer, B.A.
Unemployment and Mental Health
It is well known that unemployed people have worse mental health than their employed counterparts (Kasl SV, Jones BA, 2000). During economic crises, suicide rates usually rise, and unemployment is associated with unhappiness, depression, substance abuse, and a long list of impacts on people. (1)
Those at the most risk for mental health challenges after a job loss are those for whom unemployment is an immediate threat to survival. People with fewer financial resources and those who perceive more financial strain from unemployment are less satisfied with their lives, according to a meta-analysis led by Frances McKee-Ryan, Ph.D., a professor of management at the University of Nevada, Reno (Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 90, No. 1, 2005).
Unemployment
Population below poverty line
Age-standardized suicide rates
10 Countries with the highest crude suicide rate
Overview
| COUNTRY | % POP. BELOW POVERTY LINE | UNEMPLOYMENT % | CRUDE SUICIDE RATE PER 100,000 | DEPRESSION % | ANXIETY % |
| Lesotho | 57 | 24,4 | 92,4021 | 4,8% | 3,1% |
| Guyana | 35 | 13,46 | 37,3274 | 4,5% | 5,7% |
| Eswatini | 58,9 | 23,44 | 35,0677 | N/A | N/A |
| Lithuania | 22,2 | 9,12 | 34,8585 | 5,6% | 3,2% |
| Russian Federation | 13,3 | 5,57 | 32,0482 | 5,5% | 3,1% |
| Kiribati | 25 | 9,3 | 29,7283 | 3,1% | 3,2% |
| South Korea | 14,4 | 4,77 | 28 | 4,10% | 3,80% |
| Suriname | 70 | 7,22 | 24,7617 | 4,8% | 5,8% |
| South Africa | 16,6 | 25,15 | 24,522 | 4,6% | 3,4% |
| Belarus | 5,7 | 5,91 | 24,3313 | 5,6% | 3,2% |
| Kazakhstan | 2,6 | 4,93 | 23,2447 | 4,4% | 3,3% |
| Ukraine | 3,8 | 9,14 | 21,6212 | 6,3% | 3,2% |
| Latvia | 25,5 | 9,87 | 21,5967 | 4,9% | 3,2% |
| Slovenia | 13,9 | 8,96 | 21,0407 | 5,1% | 3,8% |
| Montenegro | 8,6 | 17,54 | 20,7151 | 4,8% | 3,8% |
| Mongolia | 29,6 | 4,86 | 20,0053 | 4,2% | 3,3% |
| Hungary | 14,9 | 6,81 | 19,9425 | 5,1% | 3,9% |
| Japan | 16,1 | 3,4 | 19,1336 | 4,2% | 3,1% |
| Botswana | 19,3 | 17,71 | 19,045 | 4,7% | 3,1% |
| Uruguay | 9,7 | 7,49 | 18,6431 | 5,0% | 6,4% |
| Belgium | 15,1 | 8,48 | 18,5986 | 4,8% | 4,7% |
| Vanuatu | 12,7 | 1,81 | 18,1658 | 3,1% | 3,2% |
| Zimbabwe | 72,3 | 5,29 | 17,9558 | 4,0% | 2,8% |
| Croatia | 19,5 | 16,18 | 17,6053 | 5,1% | 3,8% |
| Serbia | 8,9 | 17,66 | 16,3555 | 5,0% | 3,8% |
| Austria | 3 | 5,72 | 15,9957 | 5,1% | 4,9% |
| Estonia | 21,1 | 6,19 | 15,8892 | 5,9% | 3,2% |
| Poland | 17,6 | 7,5 | 15,8531 | 5,1% | 3,9% |
| France | 14,2 | 10,35 | 15,8383 | 4,8% | 6,2% |
| Sweden | 15 | 7,43 | 15,7318 | 4,9% | 4,8% |
| Sri Lanka | 6,7 | 4,52 | 15,1616 | 4,1% | 3,4% |
| Switzerland | 6,6 | 4,8 | 14,9638 | 5,0% | 4,9% |
| Central African Republic | 62 | 4,3 | 14,4431 | 4,2% | 3,0% |
| Cabo Verde | 30 | 11,9 | 14,4129 | 4,9% | 3,1% |
| United States | 15,1 | 5,28 | 14,3991 | 5,9% | 6,3% |
| Iceland | 9 | 3,98 | 14,2571 | 4,1% | 4,9% |
| Finland | 12,3 | 9,38 | 14,0316 | 5,6% | 3,2% |
| Cuba | 26 | 2,4 | 14,0314 | 5,5% | 6,1% |
| Mozambique | 46,1 | 3,43 | 13,9092 | 4,1% | 3,0% |
| Czech Republic | 9,7 | 5,05 | 13,5699 | 5,2% | 3,8% |
| Germany | 16,7 | 4,62 | 13,2667 | 5,2% | 5,8% |
| Australia | 13,2 | 6,05 | 13,2249 | 5,9% | 7,0% |
| Portugal | 19 | 12,44 | 13,2074 | 5,7% | 4,9% |
| Canada | 9,4 | 6,91 | 12,9932 | 4,7% | 4,9% |
| Samoa | 18,8 | 8,66 | 12,6575 | 3,2% | 3,3% |
| Norway | 0,5 | 4,3 | 12,4583 | 4,7% | 7,4% |
| Slovak Republic | 12,3 | 11,48 | 12,4112 | 5,1% | 3,9% |
| India | 21,9 | 5,56 | 12,2715 | 4,5% | 3,0% |
| Luxembourg | 18,3 | 6,67 | 12,1749 | 5,0% | 4,9% |
| Netherlands | 8,8 | 6,87 | 11,7818 | 4,7% | 6,4% |
| New Zealand | 15 | 5,35 | 11,7202 | 5,4% | 7,3% |
| Eritrea | 50 | 6,66 | 11,6475 | 4,3% | 3,1% |
| Namibia | 28,7 | 20,89 | 11,6421 | 4,4% | 3,1% |
| Romania | 22,4 | 6,81 | 11,5138 | 5,0% | 3,7% |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 16,9 | 27,69 | 10,7107 | 5,1% | 3,8% |
| Georgia | 9,2 | 16,51 | 10,5303 | 5,0% | 3,5% |
| Korea, Dem. People’s Rep. | 60 | 2,83 | 10,5014 | 3,7% | 3,7% |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 20 | 2,43 | 10,2001 | 5,2% | 6,1% |
| Haiti | 58,5 | 13,95 | 10,0373 | 4,3% | 5,5% |
| Cote d’Ivoire | 39,5 | 3,1 | 10,0022 | 3,8% | 2,7% |
| Chile | 14,4 | 6,51 | 9,97 | 5,0% | 6,5% |
| Kyrgyz Republic | 32,1 | 7,56 | 9,89 | 4,1% | 3,2% |
| Bulgaria | 23,4 | 9,14 | 9,83 | 5,2% | 4,0% |
| Equatorial Guinea | 44 | 8,31 | 9,78 | 4,2% | 2,9% |
| Togo | 55,1 | 2,2 | 9,71 | 3,9% | 2,8% |
| Gabon | 34,3 | 20,22 | 9,64 | 4,3% | 3,0% |
| Cameroon | 30 | 3,51 | 9,46 | 3,9% | 2,7% |
| Fiji | 31 | 4,36 | 9,39 | 3,5% | 3,3% |
| Ireland | 8,2 | 9,91 | 9,31 | 4,8% | 6,3% |
| North Macedonia | 21,5 | 26,07 | 9,17 | 5,0% | 3,9% |
| Uzbekistan | 14 | 5,2 | 9,16 | 4,2% | 3,3% |
| Djibouti | 23 | 11,39 | 9,02 | 5,1% | 3,3% |
| Singapore | N/A | 3,79 | 8,99 | 4,6% | 3,6% |
| Pakistan | 29,5 | 3,57 | 8,97 | 4,2% | 3,5% |
| United Kingdom | 15 | 5,3 | 8,82 | 4,5% | 4,2% |
| Ecuador | 21,5 | 3,62 | 8,79 | 4,6% | 5,6% |
| Zambia | 54,4 | 10,1 | 8,72 | 4,0% | 3,0% |
| St. Lucia | 20,3 | 20,67 | 8,65 | 4,9% | 5,9% |
| Nepal | 25,2 | 3,1 | 8,52 | 3,2% | 3,6% |
| Argentina | 25,7 | 7,61 | 8,3 | 4,7% | 6,3% |
| China | 3,3 | 4,6 | 8,13 | 4,2% | 3,1% |
| Benin | 36,2 | 2,57 | 8,06 | 3,9% | 2,7% |
| Thailand | 7,2 | 0,6 | 8,04 | 4,4% | 3,5% |
| Solomon Islands | 12,7 | 0,67 | 8,02 | 2,9% | 3,1% |
| Somalia | 73 | 13,25 | 7,99 | 4,0% | 2,9% |
| Burkina Faso | 40,1 | 6,04 | 7,96 | 3,6% | 2,7% |
| Mauritius | 8 | 7,41 | 7,94 | 4,4% | 3,5% |
| Spain | 21,1 | 22,06 | 7,9 | 5,2% | 4,1% |
| Vietnam | 8 | 1,85 | 7,66 | 4,0% | 2,2% |
| Morocco | 15 | 9,46 | 7,4 | 4,5% | 4,5% |
| Bahrain | N/A | 1,32 | 7,39 | 4,8% | 4,3% |
| Ghana | 24,2 | 6,81 | 7,31 | 4,2% | 2,8% |
| Guinea-Bissau | 67 | 3,01 | 7,25 | 4,0% | 2,8% |
| Malta | 16,3 | 5,38 | 7,18 | 5,1% | 4,9% |
| Guinea | 47 | 4,38 | 7,17 | 3,9% | 2,7% |
| Italy | 29,9 | 11,9 | 7,13 | 5,1% | 5,0% |
| El Salvador | 32,7 | 4 | 6,94 | 4,4% | 4,6% |
| Congo, Dem. Rep. | 63 | 9,9 | 6,79 | 3,8% | 2,8% |
| Chad | 46,7 | 1,87 | 6,78 | 3,5% | 2,6% |
| Costa Rica | 21,7 | 9 | 6,73 | 4,7% | 4,6% |
| Congo, Rep. | 46,5 | 4,4 | 6,61 | 3,9% | 2,8% |
| Angola | 36,6 | 7,26 | 6,47 | 3,6% | 2,8% |
| United Arab Emirates | 19,5 | 1,74 | 6,47 | 5,1% | 4,1% |
| Burundi | 64,6 | 1,55 | 6,44 | 4,2% | 3,0% |
| Bolivia | 38,6 | 3,07 | 6,38 | 4,4% | 5,4% |
| Dominican Republic | 30,5 | 7,61 | 6,37 | 4,7% | 5,7% |
| Senegal | 46,7 | 6,76 | 6,36 | 3,9% | 2,7% |
| Saudi Arabia | 12,7 | 5,59 | 6,34 | 4,5% | 4,3% |
| Iran, Islamic Rep. | 18,7 | 11,06 | 6,32 | 4,9% | 4,6% |
| Turkmenistan | 0,2 | 3,94 | 6,29 | 4,2% | 3,4% |
| Malawi | 50,7 | 5,85 | 6,19 | 4,1% | 3,0% |
| Armenia | 32 | 18,26 | 6,15 | 5,0% | 3,5% |
| Qatar | 0 | 0,17 | 6,11 | 5,1% | 4,2% |
| Belize | 41 | 7,58 | 5,97 | 4,4% | 5,7% |
| Sierra Leone | 70,2 | 4,64 | 5,88 | 3,9% | 2,8% |
| Brazil | 4,2 | 8,43 | 5,87 | 5,8% | 9,3% |
| Guatemala | 59,3 | 2,51 | 5,83 | 3,7% | 4,2% |
| Paraguay | 22,2 | 4,56 | 5,73 | 5,2% | 7,6% |
| Rwanda | 39,1 | 1,14 | 5,72 | 3,8% | 3,2% |
| Lao PDR | 22 | 0,69 | 5,59 | 3,2% | 3,1% |
| Mexico | 46,2 | 4,31 | 5,56 | 4,2% | 3,6% |
| Libya | 33 | 18,87 | 5,56 | 4,5% | 4,5% |
| Ethiopia | 29,6 | 2,2 | 5,52 | 4,7% | 3,3% |
| Yemen, Rep. | 54 | 13,4 | 5,51 | 3,6% | 4,1% |
| Comoros | 44,8 | 8,09 | 5,51 | 4,4% | 3,1% |
| Madagascar | 70,7 | 1,79 | 5,48 | 4,4% | 3,1% |
| Kenya | 36,1 | 2,8 | 5,46 | 4,4% | 3,1% |
| Niger | 45,4 | 0,52 | 5,37 | 3,4% | 2,5% |
| Gambia, The | 48,4 | 9,3 | 5,07 | 3,9% | 2,7% |
| Cambodia | 16,5 | 0,39 | 5,06 | 3,4% | 3,2% |
| Greece | 36 | 24,9 | 5,04 | 5,7% | 4,9% |
| Oman | N/A | 3,32 | 5,02 | 4,7% | 4,1% |
| Malaysia | 3,8 | 3,1 | 4,83 | 3,8% | 4,9% |
| Albania | 14,3 | 17,19 | 4,76 | 4,8% | 3,8% |
| Cyprus | N/A | 14,91 | 4,7 | 5,1% | 5,1% |
| Uganda | 21,4 | 1,86 | 4,67 | 4,6% | 2,8% |
| Tonga | 22,5 | 2,64 | 4,6 | 3,2% | 3,3% |
| Israel | 22 | 5,25 | 4,54 | 4,6% | 2,8% |
| Liberia | 54,1 | 2,08 | 4,49 | 3,5% | 2,7% |
| Bhutan | 12 | 2,45 | 4,49 | 4,2% | 3,7% |
| Mali | 36,1 | 7,73 | 4,28 | 3,6% | 2,6% |
| Nicaragua | 29,6 | 4,7 | 4,23 | 4,2% | 4,5% |
| Tanzania | 22,8 | 2,1 | 4,16 | 4,1% | 3,0% |
| Tajikistan | 31,5 | 7,53 | 4,13 | 3,8% | 3,1% |
| Colombia | 28 | 8,3 | 4,13 | 4,7% | 5,8% |
| Iraq | 23 | 10,72 | 4,07 | 3,7% | 4,5% |
| Azerbaijan | 4,9 | 4,96 | 4,07 | 4,6% | 3,4% |
| Honduras | 29,6 | 6,15 | 4,02 | 4,0% | 4,3% |
| Afghanistan | 54,5 | 11,39 | 3,97 | 3,3% | 4,0% |
| Sudan | 46,5 | 17,29 | 3,88 | 3,6% | 4,1% |
| Nigeria | 70 | 4,31 | 3,69 | 3,9% | 2,7% |
| South Sudan | 66 | 12,45 | 3,59 | 4,4% | 3,1% |
| Timor-Leste | 41,8 | 4,45 | 3,51 | 3,0% | 2,9% |
| Bahamas, The | 9,3 | 12 | 3,46 | 5,2% | 6,2% |
| Bangladesh | 24,3 | 4,38 | 3,41 | 4,1% | 4,4% |
| Egypt, Arab Rep. | 27,8 | 13,05 | 3,28 | 3,5% | 4,2% |
| St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 30,2 | 19,16 | 3,25 | 4,9% | 5,8% |
| Myanmar | 25,6 | 0,77 | 3,18 | 3,7% | 3,3% |
| Tunisia | 15,5 | 15,16 | 3,14 | 4,9% | 4,6% |
| Mauritania | 31 | 10,22 | 3,03 | 4,1% | 2,8% |
| Papua New Guinea | 37 | 2,56 | 2,95 | 3,0% | 3,2% |
| Panama | 23 | 3 | 2,9 | 4,4% | 4,5% |
| Lebanon | 28,6 | 6,31 | 2,79 | 4,7% | 5,5% |
| Maldives | 15 | 5,67 | 2,79 | 3,7% | 3,3% |
| Peru | 22,7 | 2,92 | 2,71 | 4,8% | 5,7% |
| Algeria | 23 | 11,21 | 2,68 | 4,5% | 4,5% |
| Kuwait | N/A | 2,2 | 2,56 | 5,0% | 4,6% |
| Indonesia | 10,9 | 4,51 | 2,36 | 3,7% | 3,3% |
| Philippines | 21,6 | 3,07 | 2,27 | 3,3% | 3,1% |
| Turkey | 21,9 | 10,24 | 2,26 | 4,4% | 4,0% |
| Venezuela, RB | 19,7 | 7,44 | 2,25 | 4,2% | 4,4% |
| Jamaica | 17,1 | 13,51 | 2,2 | 4,8% | 5,7% |
| Brunei Darussalam | 5 | 7,69 | 1,88 | 4,0% | 3,6% |
| Syrian Arab Republic | 82,5 | 8,5 | 1,74 | 3,9% | 4,3% |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 66,2 | 13,46 | 1,46 | 3,9% | 2,7% |
| Jordan | 14,2 | 13,08 | 1,46 | 4,0% | 4,3% |
| Barbados | 13,9 | 11,35 | 0,601 | 5,4% | 6,1% |
Conclusion
“The bottom line is people need to eat. They need to have shelter. They need to have health care,” says David Blustein, PhD, a professor of counseling, developmental and educational psychology at Boston College. (2)
Unemployment has a negative impact and leads to impaired mental health of the working-age population.
- https://observatoriosociallacaixa.org/en/-/el-desempleo-dana-la-salud-mental#:~:text=It%20is%20well%20known%20that,list%20of%20impacts%20on%20people.
- https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/10/toll-job-loss
- https://data.un.org/_Docs/SYB/PDFs/SYB63_329_202009_Labour%20Force%20and%20Unemployment.pdf
- Https://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.sdg.3-4-data?lang=en
- https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/crude-suicide-rates-(per-100-000-population)
- https://databank.worldbank.org/reports.aspx?source=2&series=SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS&country=#
- https://www.indexmundi.com/g/r.aspx?c=by&v=69
- https://www.who.int/phe/health_topics/outdoorair/databases/country_grouping_2016.pdf
Institute of Work and Health, Canada: Unemployment and Health
Health.org.uk: Unemployment and mental health
Observatoriosociallacaixa.org: Does unemployment harm mental health?
Beyondblue.org.au: Unmeployment and Mental Health
