Gesundheitswesen 2018; 80(08/09): 798
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1667697
Beiträge am Donnerstag, 13.09.2018
Vorträge
Prävention in Arbeitswelten
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

The association between unemployment and depression – Results from the population-based LIFE-Adult-Study

A Zülke
1   Institut für Sozialmedizin, Arbeitsmedizin und Public Health (ISAP), Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Deutschland
,
T Luck
1   Institut für Sozialmedizin, Arbeitsmedizin und Public Health (ISAP), Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Deutschland
2   Hochschule Nordhausen, Fachbereich Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften, Nordhausen, Deutschland
3   Leipziger Forschungszentrum für Zivilisationserkrankungen (LIFE), Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Deutschland
,
M Löffler
4   Institut für Medizinische Informatik, Statistik und Epidemiologie (IMISE), Universität Leipzig, Deutschland, Deutschland
,
J Thiery
5   Institut für Laboratoriumsmedizin, Klinische Chemie und Molekulare Diagnostik (ILM), Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, Leipzig, Deutschland
,
A Villringer
6   Max-Planck-Institut für Kognitions- und Neurowissenschaften, Leipzig, Deutschland
7   Tagesklinik für kognitive Neurologie, Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, Leipzig, Deutschland
,
SG Riedel-Heller
1   Institut für Sozialmedizin, Arbeitsmedizin und Public Health (ISAP), Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Deutschland
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
03 September 2018 (online)

Also available at
 

Background:

Unemployment is a risk factor for impaired mental health. Only little empirical information exists on possible protective effects of social welfare systems. Based on a large population-based sample, in this study we sought to provide detailed information on the association between unemployment and depression including information on (i) gender differences, (ii) differences between subgroups of unemployed and (iii) on the relevance of material and social resources in the association.

Methods:

Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Employment status was divided into three groups: being employed, being unemployed receiving entitlement-based benefits, being unemployed receiving means-tested benefits. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze data from the LIFE-Adult-study from Leipzig, Germany (n = 4,842). Depression risk in employed and respective subsamples of unemployed was assessed.

Results:

While there were no elevated depression risks found in persons receiving entitlement-based benefits, unemployed men and women receiving means-tested benefits had a higher risk of depression. Controlling for differences in net personal income and social isolation, an independent association of unemployment and depression remained. Social isolation was associated with increased depression risk for men and women, while higher income only was associated with lower depression risk in women.

Conclusion:

Depression risk of unemployed men and women varies by the formal system of support they receive. Unemployed persons receiving means-tested benefits in Germany constitute a risk group for depression that needs specific attention in the health care and social security system. The association cannot be explained solely by differences in material and social resources. Contrasting earlier results, women are equally affected as men.