Youth unemployment and economic recession in Spain: influence on health and lifestyles in young people (16-24 years old).
OBJECTIVE
To explore health status and lifestyles in young Spanish people in 2006 and 2012, the changes between these 2 years and the influence of employment status on health and lifestyles in this period.


METHODS
Cross-sectional analysis of the Spanish National Health Surveys 2006 and 2011/12 in people 16-24 years old (3701). Regression analyses for pooled cross-sectional data were developed. Employment status was considered as explanatory variable of health (self-rated health, diagnosed morbidity and mental disorders) and lifestyles (overweight, tobacco and alcohol consumption).


RESULTS
Male unemployment was associated with poor self-rated health (OR 1.88; CI 95 % 1.00-3.53), mental disorders (OR 2.42; CI 95 % 1.02-5.76) and tobacco consumption (OR 1.62; CI 95 % 1.00-2.62). During the economic recession, young people presented better health results than in 2006. Unemployed who had never worked consumed less tobacco and alcohol than short-term unemployed.


CONCLUSIONS
Unemployment was associated in young men with poor self-rated health, mental illness and tobacco consumption. Despite the economic recession, young people presented better self-rated health, diagnosed morbidity and mental health in 2012 than in 2006, especially in women.
Departamento de Microbiología, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Zaragoza University, C/Domingo Miral s/n., 50009, Saragossa, Spain, iaguilar@unizar.es.
Isabel
I
Aguilar-Palacio
Patricia
P
Carrera-Lasfuentes
M José
MJ
Rabanaque
D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D057172:Economic Recession / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014478:Unemployment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult