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Self‐reported health, self‐esteem and social support among young unemployed people: a population‐based study
Author(s) -
Axelsson Lars,
Ejlertsson Göran
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
international journal of social welfare
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.664
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1468-2397
pISSN - 1369-6866
DOI - 10.1111/1468-2397.00205
Subject(s) - dysphoria , irritability , social support , mental health , psychology , population , self esteem , unemployment , clinical psychology , psychiatry , gerontology , medicine , anxiety , social psychology , environmental health , economics , economic growth
A population‐based study was performed in southern Sweden in the autumn of 1998. The aim was to study connections between self‐reported health, self‐esteem and social support among unemployed (≥ three months) young people. The sample consisted of 264 unemployed individuals aged 20–25 years, and 528 individuals of the same age, randomly selected from the population register and not registered as unemployed. The response rate was 72%. Defined by means of factor analysis, mental health consisted of the symptoms tearfulness, dysphoria, sleeping disturbance, restlessness, general fatigue and irritability. The unemployed had more mental health problems than young people who were working or studying. Restlessness and dysphoria were significantly over‐represented in the unemployed among both sexes. However, good social support seemed to predict mental health. Support from parents was most important, particularly in males. Those with low self‐esteem and poor parental support were especially vulnerable.