Involuntary temporary work and mental health medications: A longitudinal study in Denmark

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Public Health
• Labor Economics

Background:

• Temporary employment has increased in Western countries since the 1970s.
• Existing research links temporary work to negative health outcomes.
• The impact of involuntary temporary employment on mental health remains under-researched.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the mental health consequences of involuntary temporary employment.
• To examine effects based on duration of exposure and gender.
• To identify potential causal links between employment type and mental well-being.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a cohort design combining the European Labour Force Survey with prescription drug data.
• Employed a fixed effects approach to analyze longitudinal data.
• Compared outcomes between workers in involuntary temporary employment and a control group.

Main Results:

• Women in involuntary full-time temporary employment for six quarters or more showed a 12.8% increase in drug use for anxiety/stress.
• One quarter of involuntary full-time temporary employment correlated with a 1.1% decrease in drug use, with no lasting effects.
• No significant mental health consequences were observed for men in involuntary full-time temporary employment.

Conclusions:

• Prolonged involuntary full-time temporary employment (≥6 quarters) is detrimental to women's mental health.
• Short-term involuntary temporary employment may have a slight positive effect on mental health.
• Labor market policies should facilitate transitions to permanent employment and address mental health impacts.