Job Holders Increase Their Use of Mental Health Services During Recession

Unemployment has been linked to declining mental health and increased incidence of suicide. In an analysis of claims data from the “Great Recession,” the major economic downturn of 2008–2009, investigators assessed how economic downturns might affect mental health among continuously employed individuals facing potential job loss.

Participants, employed at 25 plants of a multistate manufacturing firm, had insurance with access to mental health services. Short-term trends (2007–2010) were explored in 11,625 individuals and medium-term trends (2007–2012) in 10,242 employees. Variables explored were psychiatric diagnoses, mental health services utilization, and prescriptions of antidepressants, anxiolytics, sleep medications, and opiates. Findin…