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Immigrant Mental Health and Unemployment

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  • STEVEN KENNEDY
  • JAMES TED MCDONALD

Abstract

In this paper we examine how the stresses associated with the transition to a new country combined with additional stress arising from a period of unemployment affect the mental health of immigrants. Australian immigrants are found to have poorer mental health at 6 months after arrival in Australia compared with 18 and 42 months. Furthermore, unemployment, and especially a long duration of unemployment, is found to be associated with poor mental health. We found that although immigrant women appear unaffected by their spouses’ labour force status, there is evidence that immigrant men's mental health is affected by spouse labour force status.

Suggested Citation

  • Steven Kennedy & James Ted Mcdonald, 2006. "Immigrant Mental Health and Unemployment," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 82(259), pages 445-459, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecorec:v:82:y:2006:i:259:p:445-459
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-4932.2006.00358.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Graetz, Brian, 1993. "Health consequences of employment and unemployment: Longitudinal evidence for young men and women," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 715-724, March.
    2. Steven Kennedy, 2003. "Immigrant Mental Health and Unemployment," Social and Economic Dimensions of an Aging Population Research Papers 92, McMaster University.
    3. McDonald, James Ted & Kennedy, Steven, 2005. "Is migration to Canada associated with unhealthy weight gain? Overweight and obesity among Canada's immigrants," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(12), pages 2469-2481, December.
    4. Grossman, Michael, 1972. "On the Concept of Health Capital and the Demand for Health," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 80(2), pages 223-255, March-Apr.
    5. Warr, Peter & Jackson, Paul, 1987. "Adapting to the unemployed role: A longitudinal investigation," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 25(11), pages 1219-1224, January.
    6. James P. Smith, 1999. "Healthy Bodies and Thick Wallets: The Dual Relation between Health and Economic Status," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 13(2), pages 145-166, Spring.
    7. Ezzy, Douglas, 1993. "Unemployment and mental health: A critical review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 41-52, July.
    8. Baker, Michael & Benjamin, Dwayne, 1997. "The Role of the Family in Immigrants' Labor-Market Activity: An Evaluation of Alternative Explanations," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 87(4), pages 705-727, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. José Luis González-Castro & Silvia Ubillos, 2011. "Determinants of Psychological Distress Among Migrants From Ecuador and Romania in a Spanish City," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 57(1), pages 30-44, January.
    2. Matteo Picchio & Michele Ubaldi, 2024. "Unemployment and health: A meta‐analysis," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(4), pages 1437-1472, September.
    3. Santosh Jatrana & Ken Richardson & Samba Siva Rao Pasupuleti, 2018. "The Effect of Nativity, Duration of Residence, and Age at Arrival on Obesity: Evidence from an Australian Longitudinal Study," VID Working Papers 1811, Vienna Institute of Demography (VID) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna.
    4. Lillian Mwanri & Nelsensius Klau Fauk & Anna Ziersch & Hailay Abrha Gesesew & Gregorius Abanit Asa & Paul Russell Ward, 2022. "Post-Migration Stressors and Mental Health for African Migrants in South Australia: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-15, June.
    5. Mason, Joyce & Laporte, Audrey & McDonald, James Ted & Kurdyak, Paul & Fosse, Ethan & de Oliveira, Claire, 2024. "Assessing the “healthy immigrant effect” in mental health: Intra- and inter-cohort trends in mood and/or anxiety disorders," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 340(C).
    6. Jatrana, Santosh & Pasupuleti, Samba Siva Rao & Richardson, Ken, 2014. "Nativity, duration of residence and chronic health conditions in Australia: Do trends converge towards the native-born population?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 53-63.
    7. Frederik Thuesen & Vibeke Jakobsen & Nina T. Dalgaard & Bjørn C. A. Viinholt, 2020. "PROTOCOL: Interventions to improve the economic self‐sufficiency of unemployed immigrants from non‐Western countries," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(4), December.

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