COVID-19 Economic and Academic Stress on Mexican American Adolescents' Psychological Distress: Parents as Essential Workers.

OBJECTIVES: In a sample of Mexican American adolescents (N = 398; 51% females; aged 13-17), we examined the associations between psychological distress, COVID-19 household economic stress, COVID-19 academic stress, and whether these associations varied by adolescents' gender and by parents/caregivers' essential worker status. METHOD: First, linear regression models assessed the main effects of household economic and academic stress on psychological distress. Second, the moderating effects of gender and parents/caregivers' essential worker status on the association between household economic and academic stress, and psychological distress were examined. Third, the three-way interaction effect of household economic stress, gender, and parents/caregivers' essential worker status on psychological distress as well as the three-way interaction effect of academic stress, gender, and parents/caregivers' essential worker status on psychological distress were calculated. RESULTS: Household economic and academic stress were associated with psychological distress. However, these associations did not vary based on adolescents' gender or parents/caregivers' essential worker status. The three-way interaction for household economic stress, parents/caregivers' essential worker status, and gender for psychological distress was significant. Specifically, the effects of household economic stress on psychological distress was worse for boys than girls whose parents/caregivers were essential workers. Furthermore, the three-way interaction among academic stress, parents/caregivers' essential worker status, and gender was significant. Particularly, the effects of academic stress when grades were worse on adolescents' psychological distress was worse for boys than girls whose parents/caregivers were essential workers. CONCLUSION: Parents/caregivers' essential worker status was salient among Mexican American adolescents' mental health outcomes during COVID-19, particularly for adolescent boys.

Sociodemographic inequities in unscheduled asthma care visits among public assistance recipients in Japan: additional risk by household composition among workers.

BACKGROUND: Public assistance programs aim to prevent financial poverty by guaranteeing a minimum income for basic needs, including medical care. However, time poverty also matters, especially in the medical care adherence of people with chronic diseases. This study aimed to examine the association between the dual burden of working and household responsibilities, with unscheduled asthma care visits among public assistance recipients in Japan. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included public assistance recipients from two municipalities. We obtained participants' sociodemographic data in January 2016 from the public assistance database and identified the incidence of asthma care visits. Participants' unscheduled asthma visits and the frequency of asthma visits were used as the outcome variables. Unscheduled visits were defined as visits by recipients who did not receive asthma care during the first three months of the observation period. Participants' age, sex, household composition, and work status were used as explanatory variables. Multiple Poisson regression analyses were performed to calculate the cumulative incidence ratio (IR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of unscheduled visits across the explanatory variables. The effect of modification on the work status by household composition was also examined. RESULTS: We identified 2,386 recipients at risk of having unscheduled visits, among which 121 patients (5.1%) had unscheduled visits. The multivariable Poisson regression revealed that the working recipients had a higher incidence of unscheduled visits than the non-working recipients (IR 1.44, 95% CI 1.00-2.07). Among working recipients, the IRs of unscheduled visits were higher among recipients cohabiting with adults (IR 1.90 95% CI 1.00-3.59) and with children (IR 2.35, 95% CI 1.11-4.95) than for recipients living alone. Among non-working recipients, the IRs of unscheduled visits were lower for recipients living with family (IR 0.74, 95% CI 0.41-1.35) and those living with children (IR 0.50, 95% CI 0.20-1.23). A higher frequency in asthma visits was observed among working recipients living with family. CONCLUSIONS: Working adults cohabiting with children are at the greatest risk of unscheduled visits among adults receiving public assistance. To support healthy lifestyles of public assistance recipients, medical care providers and policymakers should pay special attention to the potentially underserved populations.

Structural transformation and political economy: A new approach to inclusive growth.

The "Jobless growth" of Pakistan's economy and its acquaintances with frequent changes in different governments in power (both democratic and military regime) and its influence on economic growth persuades to conduct a qualitative analysis of the structural transformation on the disaggregated level to determine whether or not it has any connection or impact on different sectors of the economy. The fundamental objective of this study is to (a) explore how sectoral transformation has affected economic development and employment, as well as their relationships, and (b investigate how these dynamics have impacted the generation of sustainable employment in the economy. For this reason, the study takes sectoral transformation into account. The study applies the sectoral employment Elasticity technique for this objective. The results of our evaluation indicate that the economy functions better under military regimes than it does during democratic periods. The cause might be anything, but our goal is to determine the employment elasticity of Pakistan's main political powers. As an agriculture-based economy, most of the population relies on the agriculture sector; hence, its decline highlights the need for reforms. If this sector doesn't grow by creating additional jobs, it will lose its employment power.

Who would rescue the dilemma of Chinese elderly care? An evolutionary game analysis and simulation research on the formalization of the domestic service industry with subsidy policy.

Since China entered the aging society, the surging demand for elderly care and the industrial upgrading of "silver economy" has forced the domestic service industry to face endogenous challenges. Among them, the formalization of the domestic service industry can effectively reduce the transaction costs and risks of actors, innovate the endogenous vitality of the industry, and promote the improvement of elderly care quality through a triangular employment relationship. By constructing a tripartite asymmetric evolutionary game model of clients, domestic enterprises and governmental departments, this study uses the stability theorem of differential equations to explore the influencing factors and action paths of the system's evolutionary stable strategies (ESS), and uses the research data collected from China to assign values to models for simulation analysis. This study finds that the ratio of the initial ideal strategy, the difference between profits and costs, subsidies to clients, and subsidies or punishments for breach of contract to domestic enterprises are the key factors affecting the formalization of the domestic service industry. Subsidy policy programs can be divided into long-term and periodic programs, and there are differences in the influence paths and effects of the key factors in different situations. Increasing domestic enterprises' market share with employee management systems, formulating subsidy programs for clients, and setting up evaluation and supervision mechanisms are efficient ways through which to promote the formalization of the domestic service industry in China. Subsidy policy of governmental departments should focus on improving the professional skills and quality of elderly care domestic workers, and also encourage domestic enterprises with employee management systems at the same time, to expand the scope of service beneficiaries by running nutrition restaurants in communities, cooperating with elderly care institutions, etc.

Long COVID Linked With Unemployment in New Analysis.

This Medical News article discusses new research on the association between long COVID and employment status.

Racial and ethnic disparities in excess mortality among U.S. veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected racial and ethnic minorities among the general population in the United States; however, little is known regarding its impact on U.S. military Veterans. In this study, our objectives were to identify the extent to which Veterans experienced increased all-cause mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic, stratified by race and ethnicity. DATA SOURCES: Administrative data from the Veterans Health Administration's Corporate Data Warehouse. STUDY DESIGN: We use pre-pandemic data to estimate mortality risk models using five-fold cross-validation and quasi-Poisson regression. Models were stratified by a combined race-ethnicity variable and included controls for major comorbidities, demographic characteristics, and county fixed effects. DATA COLLECTION: We queried data for all Veterans residing in the 50 states plus Washington D.C. during 2016-2020. Veterans were excluded from analyses if they were missing county of residence or race-ethnicity data. Data were then aggregated to the county-year level and stratified by race-ethnicity. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Overall, Veterans' mortality rates were 16% above normal during March-December 2020 which equates to 42,348 excess deaths. However, there was substantial variation by racial and ethnic group. Non-Hispanic White Veterans experienced the smallest relative increase in mortality (17%, 95% CI 11%-24%), while Native American Veterans had the highest increase (40%, 95% CI 17%-73%). Black Veterans (32%, 95% CI 27%-39%) and Hispanic Veterans (26%, 95% CI 17%-36%) had somewhat lower excess mortality, although these changes were significantly higher compared to White Veterans. Disparities were smaller than in the general population. CONCLUSIONS: Minoritized Veterans experienced higher rates excess of mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to White Veterans, though with smaller differences than the general population. This is likely due in part to the long-standing history of structural racism in the United States that has negatively affected the health of minoritized communities via several pathways including health care access, economic, and occupational inequities.

¿Cómo afectan las distintas dimensiones de la precariedad laboral a la salud mental? / How do the different dimensions of precarious employment affect mental health?

Objetivo: Analizar la relación entre la precariedad laboral, medida por dimensiones y como índice multidimensional, y la salud mental de los hombres y mujeres asalariados/as en el País Vasco. Método: Se utilizó una submuestra (n = 3345) de la Encuesta de Salud de la Comunidad Autónoma Vasca de 2018 para calcular la prevalencia estandarizada de mala salud mental según el grado de precariedad laboral, medida como escala compuesta y por cada una de sus dimensiones, y realizar modelos de regresión de Poisson robusto para analizar la asociación entre la precariedad laboral, también compuesta y por dimensiones, y la salud mental de la población asalariada. Resultados: La precariedad laboral se asocia significativamente con mala salud mental en hombres (razón de prevalencia [RP]: 3,51; intervalo de confianza del 95% [IC95%]: 2,05-6,01) y en mujeres (RP: 3,42; IC95%: 2,35-4,97). Asimismo, algunas de sus dimensiones constitutivas, como el nivel salarial en ambos sexos (RP: 2,58, IC95%: 1,65-4,03, y RP: 2,29, IC95%: 1,58-3,32, respectivamente) o la vulnerabilidad entre las mujeres (RP: 2,55; IC95%: 1,80-3,61), también parecen relacionarse de manera significativa e independiente con un peor estado de salud mental. Conclusiones: Es necesario el abordaje de la precariedad laboral desde una perspectiva multidimensional, así como conocer la importancia relativa de cada una de las dimensiones que la componen, tanto para la investigación de sus efectos en la salud como para las intervenciones políticas destinadas a luchar contra este fenómeno. (AU)

Objective: To analyse the relationship between precarious employment, measured by dimensions and as a multidimensional index, on the mental health of salaried men and women in the Basque Country (Spain). Method: A subsample (n = 3345) of the 2018 Basque Autonomous Community Health Survey was used to calculate the standardised prevalence of poor mental health according to the degree of precarious employment, measured as a composite scale and by each of its dimensions, and to perform robust Poisson regression models to analyse the association between precarious employment, also composite and by dimensions, and the mental health of the salaried population. Results: Precarious employment is significantly associated with poor mental health among men (prevalence ratio [PR]: 3.51; 95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 2.05–6.01) and women (PR: 3.42; 95%CI: 2.35–4.97). Additionally, some of its constituent dimensions, such as wage level among both sexes (PR: 2.58, 95%CI: 1.65–4.03, and PR: 2.29, 95%CI: 1.58–3.32) or vulnerability among women (PR: 2.55; 95%CI: 1.80–3.61), also appear to be significantly and independently related to poorer mental health status. Conclusions: It is necessary to approach precarious employment from a multidimensional perspective, and to know the relative importance of each of its dimensions, both for research into its effects on health and for policy interventions directed at combating this phenomenon. (AU)

The interaction effects of automation and population aging on labor market.

Automation and population aging are two major forces that will shape the nature of works in the future. However, it is not clear how these forces will interact with each other and affect the labor market. This paper examines the interaction effects of computerization and population aging on the labor market. We found that computerization and population aging have large and statistically significant effects on employment growth but not earnings growth. Also, their interaction terms are statistically significant only for employment growth but not for earnings growth.

Firing discrimination: Selective labor market responses of firms during the COVID-19 economic crisis.

The speed of the economic downturn in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has been exceptional, causing mass layoffs-in Germany up to 30% of the workforce in some industries. Economic rationale suggests that the decision on which workers are fired should depend on productivity-related individual factors. However, from hiring situations we know that discrimination-i.e., decisions driven by characteristics unrelated to productivity-is widespread in Western labor markets. Drawing on representative survey data on forced layoffs and short-time work collected in Germany between April and December 2020, this study highlights that discrimination against immigrants is also present in firing situations. The analysis shows that employees with a migration background are significantly more likely to lose their job than native workers when otherwise healthy firms are unexpectedly forced to let go of part of their workforce, while firms make more efforts to substitute firing with short-time working schemes for their native workers. Adjusting for detailed job-related characteristics shows that the findings are unlikely to be driven by systematic differences in productivity between migrants and natives. Moreover, using industry-specific variation in the extent of the economic downturn, I demonstrate that layoff probabilities hardly differ across the less affected industries, but that the gap between migrants and natives increases with the magnitude of the shock. In the hardest-hit industries, job loss probability among migrants is three times higher than among natives. This confirms the hypothesis that firing discrimination puts additional pressure on the immigrant workforce in times of crisis.

A Coaching Model to Promote Economic Mobility and Child Developmental Outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: Children growing up in poverty experience worse developmental outcomes than their more economically advantaged peers. Whether Mobility Mentoring, a program focused on building parent executive function to promote economic mobility, results in improved child developmental outcomes is not known. METHODS: This study population was drawn from children enrolled in Washington State's public, income-qualified prekindergarten program and their families. We used a quasi-experimental, preintervention-postintervention design with 2 contemporaneous comparison groups: children in the same settings whose families did not receive the intervention and children in settings in which the intervention was not offered. Primary outcomes are improvement in each of the 6 dimensions of the Teaching Strategies GOLD (TSG) measure (social-emotional, physical, cognitive, language, literacy, and mathematics) and meeting or exceeding "widely held expectations" in all of these 6 dimensions. RESULTS: Within sites that offered the coaching program, children whose parents received the program (n = 2609) showed gains in 2 of 6 TSG dimensions compared with children (n = 440) whose parents did not, and also met or exceeded widely held expectations. TSG outcomes of all children in sites offering the intervention (n = 3049) did not differ from those of children in sites that did not (n = 7216). CONCLUSIONS: Findings provide sufficient evidence of a positive impact of Mobility Mentoring on child development to merit further study. If substantiated, building parental executive function may improve child outcomes as well as enhance progress toward economic self-sufficiency, and potentially be more engaging than traditional family support programs.

Impact of Pain on Employment and Financial Outcomes Among Cancer Survivors.

PURPOSE: Although pain is a frequently reported symptom among individuals with cancer, there is limited information on the impact of pain on employment or financial outcomes. This study used nationally representative data to examine the role of pain levels on employment and financial outcomes. METHODS: We used data from the 2016-2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Experiences with Cancer Survivorship Supplement to identify 1,213 adults diagnosed with cancer. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to examine association of pain levels and self-reported employment and financial outcomes. RESULTS: Approximately 43% of adults with a cancer history reported no pain, 29% mild pain, 18% moderate pain, and 10% severe pain over the past 7 days. Compared with those reporting no pain, individuals reporting any pain had significantly increased likelihood of adverse employment outcomes including early retirement, feeling less productive, and staying at a job because of concerns about losing insurance. Individuals with any pain (compared with no pain) also had significantly increased likelihood of adverse financial outcomes including borrowing money or going into debt, inability to cover medical costs, and worrying about paying medical bills. For both employment and financial outcomes, there were dose-response relationships, with worse outcomes generally associated with greater pain levels. CONCLUSION: Pain is frequently associated with adverse employment and financial outcomes among cancer survivors, and greater pain is associated with worse outcomes. Better assessment of pain severity among survivors and implementation of strategies to assist with employment and financial objectives may be important steps to enhance patient-centered care.

Common Mental Disorders and Economic Uncertainty: Evidence from the COVID-19 Pandemic in the U.S.

Mental health disorders represent an enormous cost to society, are related to economic outcomes, and have increased markedly since the COVID-19 outbreak. Economic activity contracted dramatically on a global scale in 2020, representing the worst crisis since the Great Depression. This study used the COVID Impact Survey to provide insights on the interactions of mental illness and economic uncertainty during COVID-19. We used a probability-based panel survey, COVID Impact Survey, conducted in the U.S. over three waves in the period April-June 2020. The survey covered individual information on employment, economic and financial uncertainty, mental and physical health, as well as other demographic information. The prevalence of moderate mental distress was measured using a Psychological Distress Scale, a 5-item scale that is scored on a 4-point scale (total range: 0-15). The mental distress effect of employment, economic, and financial uncertainty, was assessed in a logit regression analysis conditioning for demographic and health information. It is found that employment, health coverage, social security, and food provision uncertainty are additional stressors for mental health. These economic factors work in addition to demographic effects, where groups who display increased risk for psychological distress include: women, Hispanics, and those in poor physical health. A decrease in employment and increases in economic uncertainty are associated with a doubling of common mental disorders. The population-representative survey evidence presented strongly suggests that economic policies which support employment (e.g., job keeping, job search support, stimulus spending) provide not only economic security but also constitute a major health intervention. Moving forward, the economic uncertainty effect ought to be reflected in community level intervention and prevention efforts, which should include strengthening economic support to reduce financial and economic strain.

Características sociodemográficas, económicas y de salud de los beneficiarios de los Servicios Educacionales Complementarios Básicos / Sociodemographic, economic and health-related characteristics of the beneficiaries of Basic Complementary Educational Services

Introducción: La nueva Ley Universitaria 30220 permite mejorar las condiciones básicas de calidad universitaria en Perú, y es pertinente conocer las condiciones del estudiante y su procedencia para la mejora continua de su progreso académico. Objetivo: Determinar las características sociodemográficas, económicas y de salud de beneficiarios de los servicios educacionales complementarios básicos de la Universidad Nacional de Frontera, Sullana Perú. Métodos: Se trata de un estudio descriptivo. Se revisaron los cuestionarios socioeconómicos, familiares y de salud de los beneficiarios. La población fue censal y ascendió a 1285 estudiantes. Resultados: Del total de estudiantes, 64 por ciento fueron mujeres y 35 por ciento hombres; asimismo, se determinó un elevado porcentaje de estudiantes con servicio de agua por horas, y se observó que algunos trabajaban en ocupaciones de ventas, en trabajo independiente y como mototaxistas. También se determinó que la mayoría de los estudiantes percibían un sueldo mensual entre 250-500 soles. En cuanto a la vacunación, se determinó que los estudiantes se colocaron la vacuna antitetánica, la vacuna contra el sarampión, la vacuna contra la hepatitis B, y la vacuna contra el virus del papiloma humano. Además, se halló un bajo porcentaje de estudiantes con asma, con algún tipo de alergia, y con padecimiento de alguna discapacidad, depresión y abuso sexual. Conclusiones: El servicio complementario de salud que brinda la universidad es pertinente para reducir riesgos de deserción por motivos de salud durante el pregrado. Aunque se necesita articular esfuerzos con los Gobiernos locales para establecer programas de salud(AU)

Introduction: The new University Law 30220 allows improving the basic conditions of university quality in Peru, insofar it is pertinent to know students' conditions and origins in view of the continuous improvement of their academic progress. Objective: To determine the sociodemographic, economic and health-related characteristics of beneficiaries of basic complementary educational services of the National University of Frontera in Sullana, Peru. Methods: This is a descriptive study. The socioeconomic, family and health questionnaires of the beneficiaries were reviewed. The population was of census type and amounted to 1,285 students. Results: Of the total of students, 64 percent were women and 35 percent were men. Likewise, a high percentage of students with hourly water service was determined, as well as some were observed to work in sales occupations, self-employment and as motorcycle taxi drivers. Most of the students were observed to receive a monthly salary between 250-500 soles. Regarding vaccination, the students were observed to receive vaccines against tetanus, measles, hepatitis B and human papillomavirus vaccines. In addition, a low percentage of students with asthma, with some type of allergy or suffering from some disability, depression and sexual abuse was found. Conclusions: The complementary health service offered by the university is pertinent to reduce the risk of dropping out due to health-related reasons during undergraduate studies. Although it is necessary to coordinate efforts with local governments for establish health programs(AU)

Influence of UTCP on the employment of female workers and the supply of labor force.

In recent years, China has introduced the Universal Two-Child Policy (UTCP), which means that a couple can have two children. The implementation of this policy may affect female employment. Based on this background, this work aims to the impact of UTCP on the number and employment of Chinese women workers, and find out the countermeasures for the adverse impact of the policy. Firstly, the role of the Propensity Score Matching-Differences in Differences model is introduced, and the average and dynamic effects of UTCP on women's employment are discussed by using the Propensity Score Matching model. Secondly, the survey data on issues related to female employment after the implementation of UTCP from 2016 to 2020 is analyzed. Finally, a conclusion is drawn according to the survey data. The results demonstrate that the implementation of UTCP widens the income gap between men and women. Meanwhile, the younger the couple, the greater the income gap. Besides, the unemployment rate changes slightly after the introduction of the policy. As the growth rate of female income is significantly lower than that of men of the same age, UTCP has little impact on the employment of Chinese female workers, but has a great impact on the quality of employment. Among all the respondents, the proportion of employed men is higher than employed women, which is about 64% ~ 65%. However, it is still unknown whether age, education, family characteristics, nationality, occupations, and economic development of the province have a certain impact on female income, which is worth noting by follow-up research. On the whole, the full liberalization of the second child has little impact on the employment of female workers in China, but has a great impact on the quality of employment. The present work lays a foundation for the study of the impact of UTCT on female employment in future, and offers a certain reference for the further study of the impact of the policy on employment in the future.

Measurement Instruments of Productivity Loss of Paid and Unpaid Work: A Systematic Review and Assessment of Suitability for Health Economic Evaluations From a Societal Perspective.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed (1) to perform a systematic literature review of instruments for measuring productivity loss of paid and unpaid work and (2) to assess the suitability (in terms of identification, measurement, and valuation) of these instruments for use in health economic evaluations from a societal perspective. METHODS: Articles published from 2018 were sourced from PubMed/Medline, PsycInfo, Embase, and Econlit. Using 2 separate search strategies, eligible economic evaluations and validation studies were selected and unique measurement instruments identified. A data-extraction form was developed by studying previous literature and consulting an international panel of experts in the field of productivity costs. This data-extraction form was applied to assess the suitability of instruments for use in economic evaluations. RESULTS: A total of 5982 articles were retrieved from the databases, of which 99 economic evaluations and 9 validation studies were included in the review. A total of 42 unique measurement instruments were identified. Nine instruments provided quantified measures of absenteeism, presenteeism, and unpaid work. Five instruments supplied the necessary information to enable the use of at least 1 common valuation method. The Health and Labour Questionnaire-Short Form, Health and Labour Questionnaire, and Institute for Medical Technology Assessment Productivity Cost Questionnaire met both criteria. Nevertheless, the developers replaced the Health and Labour Questionnaire-Short Form and Health and Labour Questionnaire by the more recently developed Institute for Medical Technology Assessment Productivity Cost Questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS: Although many instruments for measuring productivity loss were identified, most were not suitable for capturing productivity changes for economic evaluations from a societal perspective. Future research can benefit from this study by making an informed instrument choice for the measurement of productivity loss of paid and unpaid work.

The influence that Spanish Labour Reform represents on Madrid Stock Market: An empirical analysis.

Empirical evidence for Spanish Stock Market shows that labour events, like a firm level collective agreement, have informative content for the market due to the loss of wealth that it implies for the investor. Labour Reforms which Spain experienced between the years 2010 and 2012 have allowed the jeopardising of employment and the destruction of jobs, substituting one well paid by another of lower cost for the firm, the cost of dismissal, or the proposals of substituting payoffs by the so-called Austrian backpack, and the elimination of the distinction between temporary and permanent contracts. These Labour Reforms affect many of the accounting and financial variables, which are the subject of analysis and follow-up by investors and analysts, next to the idiosyncrasy of the Open Shop System that is followed in Spain, the present article means to explore the effect on Madrid Stock Market. Our results, applying analysis techniques with decision trees where we control the effect of the economic crisis on the market reaction, show that the Labour Reforms of 2010 to 2012 are incorporated as negative, or positive, information when the investor perceives a possible decrease, or increase, in its future cash flows.