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International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health
Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 4/2016

01-05-2016 | Review

Perceived job insecurity, unemployment and depressive symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective observational studies

Authors: T. J. Kim, O. von dem Knesebeck

Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health | Issue 4/2016

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Abstract

Purpose

It was shown that both job insecurity and unemployment are strongly and consistently associated with depressive symptoms. It is, however, less clear whether perceived job insecurity and unemployment constitute a comparable risk for the onset of depressive symptoms. A meta-analysis was conducted to explore this issue.

Methods

In December 2014, relevant records were identified through the databases MEDLINE, Embase and PsychINFO. Articles were included if they had been published in the last 10 years and contained a quantitative analysis on the prospective link between job insecurity and unemployment with depressive symptoms.

Results

In 20 cohort studies within 15 articles, job insecurity and unemployment were significantly related to a higher risk of depressive symptoms, with the odds ratio (OR) being modestly higher for job insecurity (1.29, 95 % CI 1.06–1.57) than for unemployment (1.19, 95 % CI 1.11–1.28). Sensitivity analyses revealed that the effects were strongest in studies that examined younger respondents (<40 years) and used an unadjusted statistical model. By considering the length of the observational period, it was shown that unemployment ORs were higher in shorter time lags (under 1 year), while ORs for job insecurity were increased in longer exposure-outcome intervals (3–4 years). Specifically for unemployment, ORs were highest in studies that did not control for potential health selection effects and that ascertained enduring unemployment. A statistically significant publication bias was found for studies on unemployment, but not for job insecurity.

Conclusions

The analyses revealed that both perceived job insecurity and unemployment constitute significant risks of increased depressive symptoms in prospective observational studies. By comparing both stressors, job insecurity can pose a comparable (and even modestly increased) risk of subsequent depressive symptoms.
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Footnotes
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Metadata
Title
Perceived job insecurity, unemployment and depressive symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective observational studies
Authors
T. J. Kim
O. von dem Knesebeck
Publication date
01-05-2016
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health / Issue 4/2016
Print ISSN: 0340-0131
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1246
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-015-1107-1

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