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Predictors of health behaviors after the economic downturn: A longitudinal study

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  • Macy, Jonathan T.
  • Chassin, Laurie
  • Presson, Clark C.

Abstract

Economic declines and their associated stress, shortage of financial resources, and changes in available time can impair health behaviors. This study tested the association between change in working hours, change in employment status, and financial strain and health behaviors measured after the 2008 recession after controlling for pre-recession levels of the health behaviors. The moderating influences of demographic factors and pre-recession levels of the health behaviors on the association between change in working hours and employment status and financial strain and the health behaviors were also tested. Participants (N = 3984) were from a longitudinal study of a U.S. Midwestern community-based sample. Regression analyses tested the unique relations between change in hours worked per week, change in employment status, and financial strain and five health behaviors over and above demographic factors and pre-recession levels of the same behavior. Models included predictor by covariate interactions. Participants who reported higher levels of financial strain engaged in lower levels of all but one of the five health behaviors, but there were no significant main effects of a change in the number of hours worked per week or change in employment status. Significant interactions revealed moderation of these relations by demographic characteristics, but findings differed across health behaviors. Financial strain negatively affected engagement in multiple healthy behaviors. Promoting the maintenance of healthy behaviors for disease prevention is an important public health goal during times of economic decline.

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  • Macy, Jonathan T. & Chassin, Laurie & Presson, Clark C., 2013. "Predictors of health behaviors after the economic downturn: A longitudinal study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 8-15.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:89:y:2013:i:c:p:8-15
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.04.020
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Angrave, David & Charlwood, Andy & Wooden, Mark, 2014. "Working time and cigarette smoking: Evidence from Australia and the United Kingdom," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 72-79.
    6. Erdal Tekin & Chandler McClellan & Karen Jean Minyard, 2013. "Health and Health Behaviors during the Worst of Times," NBER Working Papers 19234, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Kossova, Tatiana & Kossova, Elena & Sheluntcova, Maria, 2018. "Anti-smoking policy in Russia: Relevant factors and program planning," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 43-52.
    8. Shahidi, Faraz Vahid & Muntaner, Carles & Shankardass, Ketan & Quiñonez, Carlos & Siddiqi, Arjumand, 2019. "The effect of unemployment benefits on health: A propensity score analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 226(C), pages 198-206.
    9. Frijters, Paul & Johnston, David W. & Shields, Michael A. & Sinha, Kompal, 2015. "A lifecycle perspective of stock market performance and wellbeing," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 237-250.
    10. De, Prabal K. & Segura-Escano, Raul, 2021. "Drinking during downturn: New evidence from the housing market fluctuations in the United States during the Great Recession," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    11. Tekin, Erdal & McClellan, Chandler & Minyard, Karen Jean, 2013. "Health and Health Behaviors during the Worst of Times: Evidence from the Great Recession," IZA Discussion Papers 7538, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    12. Venn, Danielle & Strazdins, Lyndall, 2017. "Your money or your time? How both types of scarcity matter to physical activity and healthy eating," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 98-106.
    13. Tatiana Kossova & Elena Kossova & Maria Sheluntcova, 2013. "Estimating the relationship between rate of time preferences and healthy lifestyle in Russia," HSE Working papers WP BRP 45/EC/2013, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    14. Ketevan Glonti & Vladimir S Gordeev & Yevgeniy Goryakin & Aaron Reeves & David Stuckler & Martin McKee & Bayard Roberts, 2015. "A Systematic Review on Health Resilience to Economic Crises," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(4), pages 1-22, April.
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