IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i19p10021-d641635.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Public Health Impacts of Underemployment and Unemployment in the United States: Exploring Perceptions, Gaps and Opportunities

Author

Listed:
  • Preethi Pratap

    (School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA)

  • Alison Dickson

    (Champaign School of Labor and Employment Relations, University of Illinois Urbana, Chicago, IL 60607, USA)

  • Marsha Love

    (School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA)

  • Joe Zanoni

    (School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA)

  • Caitlin Donato

    (School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA)

  • Michael A. Flynn

    (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA)

  • Paul A. Schulte

    (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA)

Abstract

Background: Unemployment, underemployment, and the quality of work are national occupational health risk factors that drive critical national problems; however, to date, there have been no systematic efforts to document the public health impact of this situation. Methods: An environmental scan was conducted to explore the root causes and health impacts of underemployment and unemployment and highlight multilevel perspectives and factors in the landscape of underemployment and unemployment. Methods: included a review of gray literature and research literature, followed by key informant interviews with nine organizational representatives in employment research and policy, workforce development, and industry to assess perceived needs and gaps in practice. Results: Evidence highlights the complex nature of underemployment and unemployment, with multiple macro-level underlying drivers, including the changing nature of work, a dynamic labor market, inadequate enforcement of labor protection standards, declining unions, wage depression, and weak political will interacting with multiple social determinants of health. Empirical literature on unemployment and physical, mental, and psychological well-being, substance abuse, depression in young adults, and suicides is quite extensive; however, there are limited data on the impacts of underemployment on worker health and well-being. Additionally, organizations do not routinely consider health outcomes as they relate to their work in workforce or policy development. Discussion and Conclusions: Several gaps in data and research will need to be addressed in order to assess the full magnitude of the public health burden of underemployment and unemployment. Public health needs to champion a research and practice agenda in partnership with multisector stakeholders to illuminate the role of employment quality and status in closing the gap on health inequities, and to integrate workforce health and well-being into labor and economic development agendas across government agencies and industry.

Suggested Citation

  • Preethi Pratap & Alison Dickson & Marsha Love & Joe Zanoni & Caitlin Donato & Michael A. Flynn & Paul A. Schulte, 2021. "Public Health Impacts of Underemployment and Unemployment in the United States: Exploring Perceptions, Gaps and Opportunities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-25, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:19:p:10021-:d:641635
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/19/10021/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/19/10021/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mark Wooden & Diana Warren & Robert Drago, 2009. "Working Time Mismatch and Subjective Well‐being," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 47(1), pages 147-179, March.
    2. George L. Wehby & Dhaval M. Dave & Robert Kaestner, 2020. "Effects of the Minimum Wage on Infant Health," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(2), pages 411-443, March.
    3. Ahonen, E.Q. & Fujishiro, K. & Cunningham, T. & Flynn, M., 2018. "Work as an inclusive part of population health inequities research and prevention," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 108(3), pages 306-311.
    4. Mossakowski, Krysia N., 2008. "Is the duration of poverty and unemployment a risk factor for heavy drinking?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(6), pages 947-955, September.
    5. Edward P. Lazear & James R. Spletzer, 2012. "The United States labor market: status quo or a new normal?," Proceedings - Economic Policy Symposium - Jackson Hole, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, pages 405-451.
    6. Jesse Rothstein, 2012. "The Labor Market Four Years into the Crisis: Assessing Structural Explanations," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 65(3), pages 467-500, July.
    7. E. Brian Faragher & M. Cass & Cary L. Cooper, 2013. "The Relationship between Job Satisfaction and Health: A Meta-Analysis," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Cary L. Cooper (ed.), From Stress to Wellbeing Volume 1, chapter 12, pages 254-271, Palgrave Macmillan.
    8. Brenner, M. Harvey & Mooney, Anne, 1983. "Unemployment and health in the context of economic change," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 17(16), pages 1125-1138, January.
    9. Stefani Scherer, 2009. "The Social Consequences of Insecure Jobs," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 93(3), pages 527-547, September.
    10. Bell, David N.F. & Blanchflower, David G., 2019. "The well-being of the overemployed and the underemployed and the rise in depression in the UK," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 180-196.
    11. Michael A. Flynn & Kolitha Wickramage, 2017. "Leveraging the Domain of Work to Improve Migrant Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-8, October.
    12. Ezzy, Douglas, 1993. "Unemployment and mental health: A critical review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 41-52, July.
    13. Gerdtham, Ulf-G. & Johannesson, Magnus, 2003. "A note on the effect of unemployment on mortality," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(3), pages 505-518, May.
    14. David N.F. Bell & David G. Blanchflower, 2018. "Underemployment in the US and Europe," NBER Working Papers 24927, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    15. Anne Case & Angua Deaton, 2015. "Rising morbidity and mortality in midlife among white non-Hispanic Americans in the 21st century," Working Papers 15078.full.pdf, Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Research Program in Development Studies..
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Sara L. Tamers & Jessica M. K. Streit & Casey Chosewood, 2022. "Promising Occupational Safety, Health, and Well-Being Approaches to Explore the Future of Work in the USA: An Editorial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-7, February.
    2. Michael A. Flynn & Pietra Check & Andrea L. Steege & Jacqueline M. Sivén & Laura N. Syron, 2021. "Health Equity and a Paradigm Shift in Occupational Safety and Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Lewańczyk, Agata Marta & Langham-Walsh, Eleanor & Edwards, Lisa & Branney, Peter & Walters, Elizabeth R. & Mitchell, Paul & Vaportzis, Eleftheria, 2023. "Back Onside protocol: A physical activity intervention to improve health outcomes in people who are unemployed or at risk of unemployment," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    4. Yemin Ding & Lee Chin & Fangyan Li & Peidong Deng, 2022. "How Does Government Efficiency Affect Health Outcomes? The Empirical Evidence from 156 Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-18, August.
    5. Paul A. Schulte & Ivo Iavicoli & Luca Fontana & Stavroula Leka & Maureen F. Dollard & Acran Salmen-Navarro & Fernanda J. Salles & Kelly P. K. Olympio & Roberto Lucchini & Marilyn Fingerhut & Francesco, 2022. "Occupational Safety and Health Staging Framework for Decent Work," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-28, August.
    6. Paul A. Schulte & George L. Delclos & Sarah A. Felknor & Jessica M. K. Streit & Michelle McDaniel & L. Casey Chosewood & Lee S. Newman & Faiyaz A. Bhojani & Rene Pana-Cryan & Naomi G. Swanson, 2022. "Expanding the Focus of Occupational Safety and Health: Lessons from a Series of Linked Scientific Meetings," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-21, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wang, Huixia & Wang, Chenggang & Halliday, Timothy J., 2018. "Health and health inequality during the great recession: Evidence from the PSID," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 17-30.
    2. Ondřej Dvouletý, 2023. "Underemployment and overemployment in Central Europe," Economics and Business Letters, Oviedo University Press, vol. 12(2), pages 147-156.
    3. Mary A. Burke & Alicia Sasser Modestino & Shahriar Sadighi & Rachel B. Sederberg & Bledi Taska, 2019. "No Longer Qualified? Changes in the Supply and Demand for Skills within Occupations," Working Papers 20-3, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
    4. Michael A. Flynn & Pietra Check & Andrea L. Steege & Jacqueline M. Sivén & Laura N. Syron, 2021. "Health Equity and a Paradigm Shift in Occupational Safety and Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-13, December.
    5. Menzie Chinn & Laurent Ferrara & Valérie Mignon, 2013. "Post-recession US employment through the lens of a non-linear Okun’s law," Working Papers hal-04141207, HAL.
    6. Handel, Michael J., 2020. "Job Skill Requirements: Levels and Trends," MPRA Paper 100590, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. van den Berg, Gerard J. & Gerdtham, Ulf-G. & von Hinke, Stephanie & Lindeboom, Maarten & Lissdaniels, Johannes & Sundquist, Jan & Sundquist, Kristina, 2017. "Mortality and the business cycle: Evidence from individual and aggregated data," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 61-70.
    8. Rothstein, Jesse, 2015. "The Great Recession and its Aftermath: What Role for Structural Changes?," Department of Economics, Working Paper Series qt0gn7w7hn, Department of Economics, Institute for Business and Economic Research, UC Berkeley.
    9. Christopher Ruhm, 2007. "A healthy economy can break your heart," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 44(4), pages 829-848, November.
    10. Modestino, Alicia Sasser & Shoag, Daniel & Ballance, Joshua, 2016. "Downskilling: changes in employer skill requirements over the business cycle," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 333-347.
    11. Dario Judzik & Haider A Khan & Laura T Spagnolo, 2016. "Social capabilities–based flexicurity for a learning economy," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 27(3), pages 333-348, September.
    12. Peter Cappelli, 2014. "Skill Gaps, Skill Shortages and Skill Mismatches: Evidence for the US," NBER Working Papers 20382, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    13. Christian Grund & Katja Rebecca Tilkes, 2021. "Working Time Mismatch and Job Satisfaction: The Role of Employees’ Time Autonomy and Gender," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 1149, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    14. Md. Samsul Alam & Muhammad Shahbaz & Sudharshan Reddy Paramati, 2016. "The Role of Financial Development and Economic Misery on Life Expectancy: Evidence from Post Financial Reforms in India," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 128(2), pages 481-497, September.
    15. Chinn, Menzie & Ferrara, Laurent & Mignon, Valérie, 2014. "Explaining US employment growth after the great recession: The role of output–employment non-linearities," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 118-129.
    16. Herwartz, Helmut & Schley, Katharina, 2018. "Improving health care service provision by adapting to regional diversity: An efficiency analysis for the case of Germany," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(3), pages 293-300.
    17. Gerdtham, Ulf-G. & Ruhm, Christopher J., 2006. "Deaths rise in good economic times: Evidence from the OECD," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 4(3), pages 298-316, December.
    18. Robert J. Gordon, 2013. "The Phillips Curve is Alive and Well: Inflation and the NAIRU During the Slow Recovery," NBER Working Papers 19390, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    19. Lawrence Pellegrini & Rosa Rodriguez-Monguio & Jing Qian, 2014. "The US healthcare workforce and the labor market effect on healthcare spending and health outcomes," International Journal of Health Economics and Management, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 127-141, June.
    20. Chenggang Wang & Huixia Wang & Timothy J. Halliday, 2017. "Health and Health Inequality during the Great Recession: Evidence from the PSID," Working Papers 201703, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Economics.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:19:p:10021-:d:641635. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.