The financial crisis and the future of mental health in Greece (original) (raw)

Mental health impact of the economic crisis in Spain

2013

According to preliminary data, by 2010 the economic crisis in Spain had already led to an increase in the prevalence of anxiety, mood disorders and alcohol misuse, identified in primary care settings, but there had not been an impact on suicide rates. Since then, several indicators suggest that the full impact of the economic crisis on mental health was delayed, until at least the second half of 2011 and even later, to 2012. There is increasing evidence that budget cuts had a particular impact on mental healthcare during this latter period.

Austerity, economic crisis, and their persistent effects on mental health in Greece

Psihijatrija danas, 2016

Since its beginning in 2008, the on-going global economic crisis has left many countries struggling with a disaster. Greece is probably the worst affected country, having lost close to a third of its economic productivity, and being still under the imposition of harsh austerity measures. Individual mental health has suffered, as suicide, depression and anxiety, among others, substantially rose during the crisis. Despite efforts to protect mental health systems, they were severely and persistently affected, and evidence suggests that eventually they started failing to meet the health needs of the population. In this narrative review we sought to explore the reasons for this persistent detrimental effect. We identified several evidence-based examples of resonating factors that could help explain why the effects of the crisis are so persistent. We suggest that mental health systems need additional support and investment to overcome the resonating effects of the crisis and to meet the p...

"WHY IS RECOVERY TAKING SO LONG?" - A STUDY OF THE ECONOMIC CAUSES AND PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF FOUR DECADES OF HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT IN MALAGA, SPAIN A STUDY CONDUCTED BY TAAHIRA BHALLA SHRIRAM SCHOOL, MOULSARI GURUGRAM, INDIA

2019

I have been travelling for the past three years to Spain to upgrade my Spanish speaking skills and to immerse myself in a culture I love. In the past few years, I have noticed subtle yet visibly growing discontent amongst the people with respect to the volatility in unemployment, especially amongst the youth and women. This prompted me to review the unemployment situation in the country and undertake a study on its ramifications on the mental health of the people in Malaga, Spain. The rate of unemployment in Spain has been skyrocketing for almost four decades with a few exceptions scattered over a few years. In this paper, I will attempt to review the evolution of unemployment over the last 40 years, discuss the causes responsible for this, and cite the resultant impact on the mental health felt by a section of the working age population in Malaga, Spain.

Economic crisis & mental health. What do we know about the current situation in Greece?

The goal of this paper is the investigation of the impact of the financial recession on mental health. To this end, a bibliographical review was conducted on this par-ticular phenomenon, its repercussions on health, mortality, and specifically on mental health. Special focus was laid on research carried out in Greece wherein the consequences of the present economic crisis on Greek citizenry are investigat-ed. Finally, we have presented prevention and intervention measures which, according to research, function prophylacti-cally for mental health. As the conclusions of research on worldwide scale indicate, a correlation between the parameters under scrutiny can be in-ferred. More specifically, unemployment and average income are the two components of the financial crisis that appear to be linked the closest with mental health. However, these two variables work in conjunction with each given social norm; it is their interrelation thus that affects a population's well-being and men...

The impact of the long-lasting socioeconomic crisis in Greece

BJPsych International

Since 2009, Greece has experienced a long-lasting socioeconomic crisis that has had substantial consequences on the health and mental health of the population. Unemployment, financial hardship and income loss constitute the hallmarks of the socioeconomic landscape. Consequently, a substantial decline in health and mental health has been documented. Converging evidence corroborates a deterioration of self-rated health, an alarming rise in suicide rates and a gradual increase in the prevalence of major depression. Concomitantly, the healthcare system is on the verge of collapse and the mental healthcare system is incapable of addressing the emerging needs. Therefore, a multifaceted and concerted effort is urgently needed to mitigate the mental health effects of the recession.

The evolution of mental health during the Spanish economic crisis

We analyse how mental health and socioeconomic inequalities have changed in the Spanish population, aged 16--64, between 2006/07 and 2011/12. An increase in poor mental health was found for men, PR=1.15 95%CI 1.04--1.26, especially those aged 35--54, those with secondary and primary education, those from semi--qualified social class, and breadwinner. None of these associations remained after adjusting for working status. The RII by social class increased for men from 1.02 to 1.08 (p=0.001). A slight decrease in poor mental health was found for women, PR=0.92 95%CI 0.87--0.98, without any significant change in health inequality.

Suicide, unemployment, and economic recession in Spain

Introduction: The aim of the present work is to determine the association between unemployment and suicide, and to investigate whether this association is affected by changes in the economic cycle or other variables such as age and sex. Methods: A time-trend analysis was conducted to study changes in the number of suicides between 1999 and 2013 in Spain. Pearson's correlation coefficients and regression models were used to find the association between unemployment and suicide. Results: A significant positive association was found between unemployment and suicide in the pre-crisis period in men. In that period (1999---2007), each 1% annual increase in unemployment was associated with a 6.90% increase in the annual variation of suicide in the total population, and with a 9.04% increase in the annual variation of suicide in working age men. Conclusions: The correlation between unemployment and suicide is significant in periods of economic stability, but has weakened during the recent financial crisis. Unemployment and suicide have a complex relationship modulated by age, sex and economic cycle.

Employment Status and Health in Spain Before and After the Great Recession

Social Currents

The most-discussed dimension of the labor market in the field of sociology of health is unquestionably unemployment and involuntary job loss. The in-depth report by Jahoda, Lazarsfeld, and Zeisel at the beginning of the 1930s, on the social and psychological effects of closing a textile factory around which life had revolved in the Austrian community of Marienthal, is a classic point of reference. It gained particular influence in the 1970s (when 636402S CUXXX10.