Precarious Employment and Mental Health in the United States: Results from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), 2008–2021

Details

• Personal Author:
  Asfaw A ; Bhattacharya, Amit ; Groenewold, Matthew ; Lundstrom EW ; Steege, Andrea L.
• Description:
  Objectives: To measure associations between employment precarity and mental health among United States (US) workers. Methods: This study used data from the US Medical Expenditure Panel Survey for 2008-2021. Multivariable generalized estimating equations were used to measure associations between employment precarity (operationalized as a multi-dimensional exposure) and self-rated mental health after adjusting for relevant confounders. Marginal effects analysis was used to assess potential dose-response relationships between precarity and mental health. Results: Our sample (n = 57,529) was representative of >106 million US workers employed throughout 2008-2021. Compared to those with low levels of employment precarity, those with medium and high levels of precarity had an increased odds of reporting poor/fair mental health (aOR = 1.21; 95% CI = 1.11, 1.32 and 1.51; 95% CI = 1.36, 1.68, respectively). Marginal effects analysis indicated that increasing levels of precarity were associated with an increased probability of reporting poor/fair mental health. Conclusions: Increasing levels of employment precarity were associated with poor/fair self-rated mental health, findings potentially indicative of a dose-response relationship between the two. These nationally representative findings suggest employment precarity is an important social determinant of mental health. Future research could investigate how best to mitigate the negative effects of precarity on workers' lives and well-being, particularly regarding mental health. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Mental Health Nervous System Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Precarious Employment Employment Quality Mental Health Occupational Health SDOH Social Determinants Of Health Well-being Work Arrangements
• ISSN:
  0091-7435
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  District of Columbia ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DFSE - Division of Field Studies and Engineering ; OD - Office of the Director
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  186
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20070011
• Citation:
  Prev Med 2024 Sep; 186:108090
• Contact Point Address:
  Eric W. Lundstrom, Health Informatics Branch, Division of Field Studies and Engineering, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1090 Tusculum Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45226
• Email:
  uqz3@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2024
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Preventive Medicine
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:53427a7c1f7dc59a070b3d53df9d1d0a3df654dfbb16f3ca2f5363f9261a8aa12e7feaa139e1147ca1e5b2d8cc2952f61bc3996c1559ee79470f4f57893b951d
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/208320/cdc_208320_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 491.23 KB ]