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The relationship between recessions and health

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  • Nick Drydakis

    (Anglia Ruskin University, UK, and IZA, Germany)

Abstract

Recessions are complex events that affect personal health and behavior via various potentially opposing mechanisms. While recessions are known to have negative effects on mental health and lead to an increase in suicides, it has been proven that they reduce mortality rates. A general health policy agenda in relation to recessions remains ambiguous due to the lack of consistency between different individual- and country-level approaches. However, aggregate regional patterns provide valuable information, and local social planners could use them to design region-specific policy responses to mitigate the negative health effects caused by recessions.

Suggested Citation

  • Nick Drydakis, 2021. "The relationship between recessions and health," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 283-283, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izawol:journl:2021:n:283
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Drydakis, Nick, 2015. "The effect of unemployment on self-reported health and mental health in Greece from 2008 to 2013: A longitudinal study before and during the financial crisis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 43-51.
    2. Kees van Gool & Mark Pearson, 2014. "Health, Austerity and Economic Crisis: Assessing the Short-term Impact in OECD countries," OECD Health Working Papers 76, OECD Publishing.
    3. Douglas L. Miller & Marianne E. Page & Ann Huff Stevens & Mateusz Filipski, 2009. "Why Are Recessions Good for Your Health?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(2), pages 122-127, May.
    4. María E. Dávalos & Hai Fang & Michael T. French, 2012. "Easing The Pain Of An Economic Downturn: Macroeconomic Conditions And Excessive Alcohol Consumption," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 21(11), pages 1318-1335, November.
    5. Christian Breuer, 2015. "Unemployment and Suicide Mortality: Evidence from Regional Panel Data in Europe," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 24(8), pages 936-950, August.
    6. Ruhm, Christopher J., 2015. "Recessions, healthy no more?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 17-28.
    7. Stuckler, David & Reeves, Aaron & Karanikolos, Marina & McKee, Martin, 2015. "The health effects of the global financial crisis: can we reconcile the differing views? A network analysis of literature across disciplines," Health Economics, Policy and Law, Cambridge University Press, vol. 10(1), pages 83-99, January.
    8. Keith A. BENDER & Athina ECONOMOU & Ioannis THEODOSSIOU, 2013. "The temporary and permanent effects of unemployment on mortality in Europe," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 152(2), pages 275-286, June.
    9. Golden, Shelley D. & Perreira, Krista M., 2015. "Losing jobs and lighting up: Employment experiences and smoking in the Great Recession," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 110-118.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kerry L. Papps & Alex Bryson & James Reade, 2023. "Running Up that Hill: Fitness in the Face of Recession," DoQSS Working Papers 23-03, Quantitative Social Science - UCL Social Research Institute, University College London.
    2. Drydakis, Nick, 2021. "Social Rejection, Family Acceptance, Economic Recession and Physical and Mental Health of Sexual Minorities," GLO Discussion Paper Series 936, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    3. Kadir Atalay & Rebecca Edwards & Stefanie Schurer & David Ubilava, 2021. "Lives saved during economic downturns: Evidence from Australia," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(10), pages 2452-2467, September.
    4. Drydakis, Nick, 2022. "Economic recession, parental unemployment and adolescents' health-related quality of life and mental health outcomes in Greece," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1134, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    5. Nick Drydakis, 2023. "Parental unemployment and adolescents' academic performance," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 44(7), pages 1362-1381, February.
    6. Drydakis, Nick, 2022. "M-Health Apps and Physical and Mental Health Outcomes of Sexual Minorities," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1121, Global Labor Organization (GLO).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    recessions; unemployment; mortality; suicides; health; mental health;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs

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