摘要：Objectives. We examined gender differences in the effects of unemployment on mental health and assessed whether such effects are associated with interactions among gender, family roles, and social class. Methods. Our analysis included 3881 employed and 638 unemployed workers, aged 25 to 64 years, interviewed in the 1994 Catalonian Health Survey. Results. Unemployment had more of an effect on the mental health of men (age-adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.98; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.30, 3.87) than on that of women (age-adjusted OR = 1.51; 95% CI = 1.11, 2.06). Gender differences in effects were related to family responsibilities and social class. Conclusions. Understanding the effects of unemployment on mental health requires consideration of the interactions among gender, family responsibilities, and social class. One of the most studied health effects of unemployment is the lower level of psychological well-being among the unemployed. 1– 3 However, despite the high prevalence of unemployment and mental health disorders among women, the different position of men and women in the labor market, and gender differences in the social determinants of mental health, 4– 6 potential gender differences in reactions to unemployment have rarely been addressed. Indeed, many studies focusing on unemployment have included only men. 7, 8 The financial strain of unemployment can cause poor mental health, and studies have reported the beneficial effects of unemployment compensation in such contexts. 9– 11 However, unemployment can also be associated with poor mental health as a result of the absence of nonfinancial benefits provided by one’s job, such as social status, self-esteem, physical and mental activity, and use of one’s skills. 1 Although the economic and noneconomic losses implied by unemployment might not be directly linked to poor mental health, their effects are probably mediated by individual social contexts, which, to a great extent, are determined by family roles and social class. For example, the impact of unemployment on people’s mental health could depend on their investment in their family responsibilities (which typically have different meanings for men and women 12– 14 ). However, little is known about the influence of social class as a potential modifier of the relation between unemployment and mental health or the possible interactions between gender, family roles, and social class. One of the main problems in studying the effects of unemployment on health is the low number of unemployed individuals involved in research assessing representative samples of the general working population. Many studies focus on homogeneous groups employed in 1 particular specialty or organization, thus limiting the extent to which findings can be generalized. During the 1990s, Spain had the highest rate of unemployment in the European Union. The objectives of the present study, which involved a representative sample of the Catalonian population, were to (1) examine gender differences in the effects of unemployment on mental health and (2) assess whether these effects depend on interactions between gender, family roles, and social class. Furthermore, we assessed the associated role of unemployment benefits.
