Unemployment, employment precarity, and inflammation

Sumner, Rachel C ORCID: 0000-0002-2421-7146, Bennett, Rachel ORCID: 0000-0002-5780-8786, Creaven, Ann-Marie and Gallagher, Stephen (2020) Unemployment, employment precarity, and inflammation. Brain, Behavior and Immunity, 83. pp. 303-308. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2019.10.013

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Abstract

Unemployment has been associated with poorer health, but few studies have examined the biological mechanisms that confer these health decrements. Further, no studies to date have examined differences across employment groups to consider whether employment (in whatever means) is preferential in terms of health. The present study utilised secondary data from Understanding Society: The Household Longitudinal Survey during the aftermath of the recent global recession. Two markers of peripheral inflammation: C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen were assessed across employment groups (unemployed; permanent, temporary, and self-employed), controlling for individual, socio-demographic and health variables to give greater context to our understanding of how employment status influences health. After controlling for relevant confounds, unemployment was associated with higher levels of fibrinogen but not CRP. Subsequent analyses of employment subgroup revealed the temporary employed have similar levels of fibrinogen to the unemployed, and may therefore be at a similar health disadvantage. The findings confirm that unemployment is associated with increases in one marker of peripheral inflammation, but that this health protection is not conferred to those in precarious employment.

Item Type:	Article
Article Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Inflammation; Chronic stress; Employment; Temporary employment; Unemployment; REF2021
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA407 Health status indicators.
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Education and Science
Research Priority Areas:	Health, Life Sciences, Sport and Wellbeing
Depositing User:	Rachel Sumner
Date Deposited:	22 Oct 2019 15:05
Last Modified:	01 Sep 2023 15:28
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/7379

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