Poor quality employment is worse for mental health than no job at all and contributes to mental distress in new mothers
| Published date | 25 May 2012 |
| Date | 25 May 2012 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/20428301211232450 |
| Pages | 66-71 |
| Author | Sue Holttum |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care |
Research watch
Poor quality employment is worse for
mental health than no job at all and
contributes to mental distress in
new mothers
Sue Holttum
Abstract
Purpose – This Research Watch aims to summarise two recent research papers relating to employment
and mental health, one relating to all sectors of the working-age population and the other to women who
had recently had a child.
Design/methodology/approach – A search was undertaken to identify research papers with a mental
health and social inclusion focus published within the past 12 months.
Findings – Both studies involved large samples of people in Australia. The first paper used information
from over 7,000 people of working age, and investigated whether the quality of employment was related
to mental health. Poor quality employment turned out to be worse for mental health than no job at all. The
second paper focused on over 1,000 women who had given birth in the previous 12 months, and found
that quality of employment predicted whether they experienced mental distress.
Originality/value – These two papers add to our understanding of the relationship between mental
health and employment, the first focusing specifically on the quality of employment rather than simply
employed versus unemployed status, the second by highlighting how poor quality employment may
contribute to psychological distress after having a baby.Real social inclusion through employment may
depend not only on being in work but the quality of that work.
Keywords Mental health, Employment, Unemployment, Job quality, Mothers, Post natal, Post partum,
Australia
Paper type Literature review
Will any job do?
The first paper by Butterworth et al. (2011) begins by reminding us of previous studies that
suggest it is better to be employed than unemployed. It brings needed income, can give us a
sense of purpose, structure our days, and link us up with other people. Arguably,it is many of
these features of work that have led to its being thought of in relation to social inclusion (Slade,
2009; Thornicroft, 2006). However, the authors also highlight research that has found links
between various aspects of working conditions and employees’ mental and physical ill health.
Some of the job-related factors found to be linked with poor mental health are as follows:
BToo many demands.
BNot enough control over our work.
PAGE 66
j
MENTAL HEALTHAND SOCIAL INCLUSION
j
VOL. 16 NO. 2 2012, pp. 66-71, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308 DOI 10.1108/20428301211232450
Sue Holttum is based in the
Department of Applied
Psychology, Canterbury
Christ Church University,
Canterbury, UK.
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