Do local unemployment rates modify the effect of individual labour market status on psychological distress?

Publication type

Journal Article

Authors

Publication date

September 15, 2013

Summary:

This study investigates whether the unemployment rate of the area in which an individual lives affects their level of psychological distress, and the extent to which this is dependent on their own labour market status. Data were taken from the British Household Panel Survey (1991–2008) and longitudinal multiple membership multilevel modelling was carried out in order to account for the complex hierarchical structure of the data. The results suggest that living in an area with a high unemployment rate, defined by the claimant count, confers a degree of protection against the negative psychological effects of unemployment. However, psychological distress levels among unemployed people were still significantly and substantially lower than among their securely employed counterparts.

Published in

Health and Place

Volume and page numbers

Volume: 23 , p.1 -8

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2013.04.004

ISSN

13538292

Subjects

Notes

Open Access article

#521501

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