Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Depression, and Alcohol Consumption During Joblessness and During Recessions in CARDIA Young Adults
Tapia Granados, Jose A. ; Christine, Paul J. ; Ionides, Edward L. ; Carnethon, Mercedes R. ; Diez Roux, Ana V. ; Kiefe, Catarina I. ; Schreiner, Pamela J.
Citations
Student Authors
Faculty Advisor
Academic Program
UMass Chan Affiliations
Document Type
Publication Date
Keywords
blood pressure
recession
unemployment
physical activity
smoking
cardiovascular disease
alcohol
drinking
depressive disorders
cardia
waist circumference
young adult
Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms
Cardiovascular Diseases
Clinical Epidemiology
Epidemiology
Mental and Social Health
Subject Area
Embargo Expiration Date
Link to Full Text
Abstract
Research has shown that recessions are associated with lower cardiovascular mortality but unemployed individuals have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) or death. We used data from eight consecutive exams (1985-2011) of the CARDIA cohort, modeled in fixed-effect panel regressions, to investigate simultaneously the associations of CVD risk factors with (a) the employment status of individuals, and (b) macroeconomic conditions prevalent at the state where the individual lives. We found that unemployed individuals had lower levels of blood pressure, HDL-cholesterol, and physical activity, and significantly higher depression scores, but they were like their counterparts in smoking status, alcohol consumption, LDL cholesterol levels, body mass index, and waist circumference. One percentage point higher unemployment rate at the state level was associated with lower systolic (-0.41 mmHg, 95%CI: -0.65, -0.17) and diastolic (-0.19, 95%CI: -0.39, 0.01) blood pressure, higher physical activity levels, higher depressive symptom scores, and lower waist circumference and smoking. We conclude that levels of CVD risk factors tend to improve during recessions, but mental health tends to deteriorate. Unemployed individuals are significantly more depressed, and likely have lower levels of physical activity and HDL.
Source
Am J Epidemiol. 2018 Jun 27. pii: 5046014. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwy127. [Epub ahead of print] Link to article on publisher's site