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CDC: Unemployed young adults have threefold greater depression risk

Unemployed young adults aged 18 to 25 years across 12 states have a threefold greater risk for depression compared with those who are employed, according to data published in Preventing Chronic Disease.

“The high rate of unemployment among emerging adults is a public health problem,” Robin E. McGee, MPH, and Nancy J. Thompson, PhD, MPH, of the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, wrote in the study. “Developmental factors, such as uncertainty related to the transition to adulthood and changes in social relationships and support structures, may contribute to different experiences of unemployment among emerging adults compared with older adults.”

McGee and Thompson examined data from the 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to determine depressed individuals aged 18 years to 25 years (n = 1,525) across 12 states: Arizona, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, South Carolina, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Approximately 12% of all emerging adults were classified as depressed and 23% were unemployed, according to Patient Health Questionnaire-8 data.

Depression tended to be more prevalent among unemployed emerging adults (23.4%) compared with employed emerging adults (8.4%, P < .001), according to bivariate analyses. Females were also more likely to report depression (15%) compared with males (9.6%, P = .03).

Other variables such as the lack of a high school degree or health insurance indicated more incidence of depression (P < .001 for both), compared with young adults with a high school diploma and health insurance.

Those with a disability (P < .001), smokers (P < .001) and obesity (P = .03) were also more likely to report depression, according to researchers.

“With the current high rates of unemployment for this age group, this population may benefit from interventions that specifically focus on their employment status and their mental health,” the researchers concluded. – by Samantha Costa

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.