Assignment Week 1: Impact of Employment on Mental Health Globally.
Data Set: GAPMINDER
Motivation: The relationship between employment rates and mental health, specifically suicide rates, is a critical area of research that addresses fundamental issues of economic stability, social welfare, and public health. Understanding how employment status impacts mental well-being is essential for developing effective policies and interventions that can mitigate the adverse effects of unemployment and economic downturns on individuals and communities.
Research Question:
Is there an association between employment rates and suicide rates across countries?
Refined Research Question:
How do employment rates impact suicide rates globally, and does this association change when considering income per person, urbanization, and alcohol consumption?
Key words used: Unemployment + mental health + suicide + alcohol + urbanisation
Literature Review References:
Nordt, C., Warnke, I., Seifritz, E., & Kawohl, W. (2015). "Modelling suicide and unemployment: a longitudinal analysis covering 63 countries, 2000–2011." The Lancet Psychiatry, 2(3), 239-245.
This study explores the relationship between unemployment rates and suicide rates, providing evidence of a significant correlation, and emphasizes the importance of economic factors in mental health outcomes.
Stuckler, D., Basu, S., Suhrcke, M., Coutts, A., & McKee, M. (2009). "The public health effect of economic crises and alternative policy responses in Europe: an empirical analysis." The Lancet, 374(9686), 315-323.
This research examines the impact of economic crises on public health, including mental health outcomes like suicide rates, highlighting the influence of employment status on these outcomes.
Blakely, T. A., Collings, S. C. D., & Atkinson, J. (2003). "Unemployment and suicide. Evidence for a causal association?" Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 57(8), 594-600.
This paper discusses the potential causal relationship between unemployment and suicide, contributing to the understanding of how economic and employment factors affect mental health.
Chang, S. S., Gunnell, D., Sterne, J. A., Lu, T. H., & Cheng, A. T. (2009). "Was the economic crisis 1997-1998 responsible for rising suicide rates in East/Southeast Asia? A time-trend analysis for Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Thailand." Social Science & Medicine, 68(7), 1322-1331.
This study analyzes the rise in suicide rates during economic crises in East/Southeast Asia, underscoring the relationship between employment and mental health in different cultural contexts.
Kawachi, I., & Wamala, S. (Eds.). (2006). "Globalization and Health." Oxford University Press.
This book covers various aspects of globalization and their impact on health, including how changes in employment patterns influence mental health and suicide rates worldwide.
Hypothesis:
Null Hypothesis (H0): There is no significant association between employment rates and suicide rates across countries.
Alternative Hypothesis (H1): Higher employment rates are associated with lower suicide rates across countries, even when controlling for income per person, urbanization, and alcohol consumption.
Codebook and Variables:
Group 1: Employment Rates
employrate: This variable measures the employment rate in each country, representing the percentage of the working-age population that is employed.
Group 2: Suicide Rates
suicideper100th: This variable measures the rate of suicides per 100,000 people in each country.
Control Variables:
incomeperperson: This variable measures the average income per person, representing economic status.
urbanrate: This variable measures the percentage of the population living in urban areas, representing urbanization levels.
alcconsumption: This variable measures the average alcohol consumption per person, representing potential influences on mental health.
References:
Nordt, C., Warnke, I., Seifritz, E., & Kawohl, W. (2015). Modelling suicide and unemployment: a longitudinal analysis covering 63 countries, 2000–2011. The Lancet Psychiatry, 2(3), 239-245.
Stuckler, D., Basu, S., Suhrcke, M., Coutts, A., & McKee, M. (2009). The public health effect of economic crises and alternative policy responses in Europe: an empirical analysis. The Lancet, 374(9686), 315-323.
Blakely, T. A., Collings, S. C. D., & Atkinson, J. (2003). Unemployment and suicide. Evidence for a causal association? Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 57(8), 594-600.
Chang, S. S., Gunnell, D., Sterne, J. A., Lu, T. H., & Cheng, A. T. (2009). Was the economic crisis 1997-1998 responsible for rising suicide rates in East/Southeast Asia? A time-trend analysis for Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Thailand. Social Science & Medicine, 68(7), 1322-1331.
Kawachi, I., & Wamala, S. (Eds.). (2006). Globalization and Health. Oxford University Press.