Upon stratification, a significant risk was found among the high education and high income category, as well as for the high education and low income category. Overall, we found that a 1% rise in unemployment rates was significantly associated with an increase in physically unhealthy days and mentally unhealthy days. After controlling for covariates, associations were modelled using negative binomial regression, with autocorrelative residuals, and were reported as rate ratios (RR). Using survey-based self-reported data, this first population-based study examined the association between unemployment rates and physically and mentally unhealthy days in the southwestern United States, by county-level stratification of income (high and low) as well as education (high and low), from 2015 to 2019.
There is limited research that examines the association of unemployment rates with both physical and mental health, while simultaneously stratifying populations by income and education levels. Given these mixed findings, there is a need to add to our knowledge about how unemployment rates and population health are related. The relationship can be influenced by the kinds of health outcomes observed, time frame, level of geographic aggregation, and other factors. Past research on the relationship between unemployment rates and population health has produced mixed findings.
