European Journal of Public Health
Volume 24, Issue 3, 2014, Pages 404-409

From the boom to the crisis: Changes in employment conditions of immigrants in Spain and their effects on mental health (Article) (Open Access)

Robert G. , Martínez J.M.* , García A.M. , Benavides F.G. , Ronda E.
  • a CiSAL, Center for Research in Occupational Health, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, c/Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
  • b CiSAL, Center for Research in Occupational Health, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, c/Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain, CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
  • c CiSAL, Center for Research in Occupational Health, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, c/Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain, CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain, Preventive Medicine and Public Health Department, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
  • d CiSAL, Center for Research in Occupational Health, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, c/Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain, CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
  • e CiSAL, Center for Research in Occupational Health, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, c/Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain, CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain, Preventive Medicine and Public Health Area, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain

Abstract

Background: Migrant workers have been one of the groups most affected by the economic crisis. This study evaluates the influence of changes in employment conditions on the incidence of poor mental health of immigrant workers in Spain, after a period of 3 years, in context of economic crisis. Methods: Follow-up survey was conducted at two time points, 2008 and 2011, with a reference population of 318 workers from Colombia, Ecuador, Morocco and Romania residing in Spain. Individuals from this population who reported good mental health in the 2008 survey (n = 214) were interviewed again in 2011 to evaluate their mental health status and the effects of their different employment situations since 2008 by calculating crude and adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for sociodemographic and employment characteristics. Findings: There was an increased risk of poor mental health in workers who lost their jobs (aOR = 3.62, 95%CI: 1.64-7.96), whose number of working hours increased (aOR = 2.35, 95%CI: 1.02-5.44), whose monthly income decreased (aOR = 2.75, 95%CI: 1.08-7.00) or who remained within the low-income bracket. This was also the case for people whose legal status (permission for working and residing in Spain) was temporary or permanent compared with those with Spanish nationality (aOR = 3.32, 95%CI: 1.15-9.58) or illegal (aOR = 17.34, 95%CI: 1.96-153.23). In contrast, a decreased risk was observed among those who attained their registration under Spanish Social Security system (aOR = 0.10, 95%CI: 0.02-0.48). Conclusion: There was an increase in poor mental health among immigrant workers who experienced deterioration in their employment conditions, probably influenced by the economic crisis. © 2014 The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

Romania unemployment risk mental health human middle aged Odds Ratio ethnology qualitative research Young Adult Humans migrant psychology male Emigrants and Immigrants Spain female South America adult Morocco
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84901757012&doi=10.1093%2feurpub%2fcku020&partnerID=40&md5=de705706feac01f272516b1a59bf6bcf
DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/cku020
ISSN: 11011262
Cited by: 28
Original Language: English