Abstract
Unemployment has consistently been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular
disease and premature mortality, and impaired autonomic modulation of the heart
might be one mechanism partly explaining this. This study examined whether the
possible effect of unemployment on cardiac autonomic modulation is in part mediated
by lower psychological well-being. The sample comprised of 15 job-seeking
men aged 30–49 years matched with 15 employed men on age, type of job, smoking
habits, alcohol intake, frequency of physical activity, and body mass index. Heart
rate variability (HRV) during a modified orthostatic test was the measure of cardiac
autonomic modulation, and life satisfaction was the measure of psychological wellbeing.
Unemployed men had significantly lower overall HRV (p = .040) than controls.
This association was partially mediated through lower general life satisfaction,
and in particular, by low financial satisfaction, independently of demographic and/or
behavioral factors that influence HRV. These findings suggest that seeking a job is a
potential stressor that may reduce overall HRV and contribute towards disturbance of
cardiac autonomic modulation in men. Financial difficulties could be one mechanism
through which the effects of unemployment are translated into impaired autonomic
modulation.
disease and premature mortality, and impaired autonomic modulation of the heart
might be one mechanism partly explaining this. This study examined whether the
possible effect of unemployment on cardiac autonomic modulation is in part mediated
by lower psychological well-being. The sample comprised of 15 job-seeking
men aged 30–49 years matched with 15 employed men on age, type of job, smoking
habits, alcohol intake, frequency of physical activity, and body mass index. Heart
rate variability (HRV) during a modified orthostatic test was the measure of cardiac
autonomic modulation, and life satisfaction was the measure of psychological wellbeing.
Unemployed men had significantly lower overall HRV (p = .040) than controls.
This association was partially mediated through lower general life satisfaction,
and in particular, by low financial satisfaction, independently of demographic and/or
behavioral factors that influence HRV. These findings suggest that seeking a job is a
potential stressor that may reduce overall HRV and contribute towards disturbance of
cardiac autonomic modulation in men. Financial difficulties could be one mechanism
through which the effects of unemployment are translated into impaired autonomic
modulation.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 530-540 |
| Journal | Psychology, Health & Medicine |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2015 |