Jobless link to poor mental health

[Posted: Mon 13/06/2011 by Niall Hunter, Editor www.irishhealth.com]

The economic recession with its accompanying rise in unemployment rates is linked to extremely adverse effects for men’s mental health, according to new research from the Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH).
 
The research report launched today at the start of Men’s Health Week, identifies a strong correlation between unemployment and male mental ill-health.
 
The report is the result of a research and consultation process carried out, in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, by Nexus Research Co-operative on behalf of IPH.
 
The report shows that 93% of frontline organisations, North and South, in contact with unemployed men, linked health challenges to unemployment and recession and all organisations surveyed noted health challenges for men they work with.

In addition to health challenges being higher for unemployed men, they were also very high for men who saw themselves as being threatened with unemployment, the report shows.
 
The organisations surveyed and the men who were interviewed identified the challenges to health as:
* High levels of stress or anxiety
* Dependency on or over-use of alcohol/other drugs
* Deterioration in physical health
* Development of conflict in family or close personal relationships
* Isolation (including sharing or communicating problems)
* A reluctance to approach services or seek help

IPH Associate Director, Owen Metcalfe said the research identified the relationship between being unemployed and suffering ill health, particularly mental health for men.

"Men’s health issues in times of economic recession are made more difficult by their tendency to take fewer health preventative measures, and be less likely to seek support."
 
The increase in the number of suicides was a particular cause for concern. 
 
The Republic of Ireland also recorded an increase in male suicides rates.  For the 12-month period ended June 2009 there were 379 male suicides.  For the 12 month period ended June 2010 this figure rose to 427.

In 2010, 313 deaths in Northern Ireland were registered as suicides, 240 of those were males and 73 were fe

The report is the result of a research and consultation process carried out, in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, by Nexus Research Co-operative on behalf of IPH.