The buffering role of the family in the relationship between job loss and self-perceived health: Longitudinal results from Europe, 2004-2011

Gender roles and selection mechanisms across contexts: a comparative analysis of the relationship between unemployment, self-perceived health and gender

Health literature shows that unemployment has a gendered effect on health. However, whether men or women are more affected and why remains unclear. We assume that unemployment harms women less than men because of two mechanisms: social roles theories and health selection. First, the availability and centrality in individuals' lives of roles other than employment may reduce the detrimental effect of unemployment for women. Second, the gendered impact of unemployment on health results from the different ways selection mechanisms operate across genders. Moreover, these two mechanisms may operate differently in different contexts - for example, across different gender regimes. We investigate this by pursuing a three-step comparative approach. The analysis relies on EU-SILC data covering Italy and Sweden for 2004 to 2015 and SOEP data for Germany (1995-2017) and applies correlated dynamic random-effects probit models. While we find weak support for the role of health selection in shaping the relations between unemployment, health, and gender, our empirical results are in line with the hypothesis of a larger gendered effect in older (vs younger) cohorts, western (vs eastern) Germany and Italy (vs. Sweden). Future empirical research needs to directly address the role of gender regimes in moderating such complex relationships.

When things go wrong with you, it hurts me too: The effects of partner's employment status on health in comparative perspective

The effects of changes in employment status on health within couples have attracted increasing attention. This paper contributes to this emerging research by investigating whether the impact of a partner's employment status on individual self-rated health varies systematically across countries with varying decommodification levels. We use longitudinal data from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) and hybrid models. We find that a change in an individual's employment status may affect the health not just of the person who experiences this transition, but that of his or her partner. The likelihood that such a spillover will occur varies across countries with different decommodification levels. The negative effects of a partner's employment status on self-rated health are observed when the generosity of welfare state support is limited. The moderating effects of financial support from the state are not very strong, though. They are not robust across all our models and do not extend to all the dimensions of the generosity of welfare state support.

Marital status impacts survival in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma: a population-based, propensity-matched study

Background

Marital status has been considered as an independent prognostic factor for various types of cancer survival. The objectives of our study were to investigate the function of marital status on the survival of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) patients.

Methods

The patients diagnosed with UTUC between 1988 and 2015 were captured within the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Patients were classified into married, divorced/separated, widowed and single cohorts. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis was conducted to assess the effects of marital status on overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). A 1:1 matched‐pair analysis was performed to optimize the final statistical results by propensity score matching (PSM).

Results

Among the 10,852 eligible patients, the percentage of married, divorced/separated, widowed and single patients accounted for 58.2% (6,321), 9.0% (980), 23.3% (2,526) and 9.4% (1,025) respectively. The widowed patients had the worst OS and CSS. Marital status was a predictive factor for OS and CSS of UTUC patients. The results of multivariate Cox regression showed that the worst OS [hazard ratio (HR): 1.41; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.33–1.49, P<0.001] and the poorer CSS (HR: 1.32; 95% CI: 1.22–1.43, P<0.001) were existed in the widowed patients, compared with married patients. The results of the stratified analysis by primary site also indicated the same conclusion. Furthermore, the results were confirmed in the 1:1 matched group.

Conclusions

Marital status acted as an independent prognostic and protective factor for survival in UTUC patients. Additionally, being widowed was related with a high risk of death in UTUC compared with married, divorced, or single patients.

How does a targeted active labour market program impact on the well-being of the unemployed? A concept mapping study on Barcelona "Employment in the Neighbourhoods"

Background

The “Employment in the neighbourhoods” program is an innovative, tailor-made Active Labour Market Program that has been implemented in 12 neighbourhoods in Barcelona (Spain). Its goal is to get people from deprived, high-unemployment neighbourhoods back to work. The aim of this study was to describe the effects of the program on participants’ quality of life, and identify the mechanisms underlying these effects, according to their own perception and the perception of technical staff who assisted them.

Methods

We used Concept Mapping, a mixed methods approach combining qualitative and quantitative analysis, to develop a conceptual map of the participants’ and technical staffs’ perceptions about changes in the participants’ quality of life. Data collection occurred within the generation and structuring steps where participants brainstormed answers to a focus question, and then rated and sorted the responses. To create maps, we used Concept Systems Incorporated software, which conducted two main forms of analysis, a multidimensional scaling analysis, and a hierarchical cluster analysis.

Results

Study participants reported several positive effects on mental health and emotional wellbeing, including self-esteem and empowerment, and considered that this was achieved through strengthened social networks, skills acquisition, emotional coaching, and personalized technical assistance. They also described some negative impacts, mainly related to the labour market situation. We observed marked gender differences in the discourses of program participants.

Conclusions

The results obtained have allowed us to identify different perceived effects and mechanisms by which the “Employment in the Neighbourhoods” Active Labour Market Programme can influence quality of life of participants from the most deprived areas of Barcelona.