Financial distress/well-being and living situation in Ecuadorian health workers.

The tendency to live alone is a relatively recent phenomenon in Ecuador, but it is expanding rapidly. This study aims to identify factors associated with financial distress/well-being according to living situation (living alone vs. living with a partner) in Ecuadorian health workers. This study examined the construct of financial distress/well-being in a sample of 800 Ecuadorian health workers using cross-sectional data. Living situation was compared using generalized linear model analyses including income, age, children living at home, self-perception of health, depression, anxiety and stress, perceived social support, positive mental health, and hedonistic and austere profiles. Regarding financial well-being, workers living alone ranked lower and workers living with a partner ranked higher. In workers living alone the main sources of financial distress/well-being were income, children living at home, perceived social support, positive mental health, and hedonistic attitude towards indebtedness. In workers living with a partner the main sources of financial distress/well-being were income, age, self-perception of health, depression, anxiety and stress, perceived social support, positive mental health, and austere attitude towards indebtedness. Based on our results, we discuss potential public policy interventions that can be used to improve workers' financial well-being.

Financial distress/well-being and living situation in Ecuadorian health workers / Estrés financiero/bienestar y situación de vida en trabajadores ecuatorianos de salud / Estresse/bem-estar financeiro e situação de vida entre profissionais da saúde no Equador

The tendency to live alone is a relatively recent phenomenon in Ecuador, but it is expanding rapidly. This study aims to identify factors associated with financial distress/well-being according to living situation (living alone vs. living with a partner) in Ecuadorian health workers. This study examined the construct of financial distress/well-being in a sample of 800 Ecuadorian health workers using cross-sectional data. Living situation was compared using generalized linear model analyses including income, age, children living at home, self-perception of health, depression, anxiety and stress, perceived social support, positive mental health, and hedonistic and austere profiles. Regarding financial well-being, workers living alone ranked lower and workers living with a partner ranked higher. In workers living alone the main sources of financial distress/well-being were income, children living at home, perceived social support, positive mental health, and hedonistic attitude towards indebtedness. In workers living with a partner the main sources of financial distress/well-being were income, age, self-perception of health, depression, anxiety and stress, perceived social support, positive mental health, and austere attitude towards indebtedness. Based on our results, we discuss potential public policy interventions that can be used to improve workers' financial well-being.

La tendencia de vivir solo es un fenómeno relativamente reciente en Ecuador, pero que está rápidamente extendiéndose. El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar factores asociados con el estrés financiero/bienestar, según la situación de vida (vivir solo vs. vivir con pareja), en trabajadores ecuatorianos de salud. Usando datos transversales este estudio examinó el constructo del estrés financiero/bienestar en una muestra de 800 trabajadores ecuatorianos en el área de salud. La situación de vida fue comparada usando modelos lineales generalizados, incluyendo ingresos, edad, niños viviendo en casa, autopercepción de salud, depresión, ansiedad y estrés, apoyo social percibido, salud mental positiva, así como perfiles hedonistas y austeros. Los trabajadores que vivían solos estuvieron posicionados más bajo y los trabajadores viviendo con pareja estuvieron en puestos más altos en bienestar financiero. En los trabajadores que vivían solos las principales fuentes de estrés financiero/bienestar fueron ingresos, niños viviendo en el hogar, apoyo social percibido, salud mental positiva y actitud hedonística hacia el endeudamiento. En trabajadores viviendo con una pareja las principales fuentes de estrés financiero/bienestar fueron ingresos, edad, autopercepción de salud, depresión, ansiedad y estrés, apoyo social percibido, salud mental positiva y actitud austera hacia endeudamiento. Basados en nuestros resultados, discutimos intervenciones potenciales en políticas públicas que pueden ser usadas para mejorar el bienestar financiero de los trabajadores.

A tendência de viver sozinho é um fenômeno relativamente recente no Equador, mas está crescendo rapidamente. O objetivo do estudo foi identificar fatores associados ao estresse ou bem-estar financeiro de acordo com a situação de vida (viver sozinho vs. viver com parceiro) em profissionais de saúde equatorianos. O estudo usou dados transversais para examinar o construto do estresse/bem-estar financeiro em uma amostra de 800 profissionais de saúde equatorianos. A situação de vida foi comparada com análises de modelo linear generalizado, incluindo renda, idade, crianças vivendo no domicílio, autoavaliação da saúde, depressão, ansiedade e estresse, apoio social percebido, saúde mental positiva e perfis hedonistas vs. austeros. Os trabalhadores que viviam sozinhos pontuavam mais baixo, enquanto aqueles que viviam com um parceiro pontuavam mais alto no quesito de bem-estar financeiro. Entre os trabalhadores que viviam sozinhos, as principais fontes de estresse vs. bem-estar financeiro eram renda, crianças vivendo no domicílio, apoio social percebido, saúde mental positiva e atitude hedonista em relação ao endividamento. Nos trabalhadores que viviam com parceiro, as principais fontes de estresse/bem-estar social eram renda, autoavaliação da saúde, depressão, ansiedade e estresse, apoio social positivo, e saúde mental. Com base nos resultados, discutimos o potencial para intervenções de políticas públicas que possam ser utilizadas para melhorar o bem-estar financeiro dos trabalhadores.

Perceived Resources and Satisfaction With Food-Related Life Among Ecuadorian Elderly.

OBJECTIVE: To identify variables that explain satisfaction with food-related life in Ecuadorian elderly people. DESIGN: Stratified random sampling with proportional affixation within each retirement home was conducted based on the rate of rurality, gender, age, and living circumstances. SETTING: Retirement homes in Guayaquil, Ecuador. PARTICIPANTS: The sample consisted of 817 elderly people of both genders (47.5% women; mean age 73.7 years; SD 7.45 years; range 60-101 years) registered in retirement homes located in Guayaquil, Ecuador. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Satisfaction With Life scale, satisfaction with food-related life (SWFL), and 22 food-related perceived resources. ANALYSIS: Generalized linear models. RESULTS: Gender, food consumption expenditure, satisfaction with economic situation, unhealthy days, family importance, food-related lifestyles, food neophobia, and the sum of 22 resources were found to be associated with SWFL. In addition, the Pearson bivariate correlation between the Satisfaction With Life scale and SWFL was .38 (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Perceived resources contributed to SWFL and the greatest satisfaction with life was observed among older adults who were more satisfied with their food.