title: Distress and unemployment: the related economic and noneconomic factors in a sample of unemployed adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the associations between economic and noneconomic factors and psychological distress in a group of 748 unemployed adults during economic recession.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected through a questionnaire. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses were used to test the associations between distress and the deprivation of income and latent benefits of employment (time structure, activity, status, collective purpose and social contact).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The participants' mean of distress was higher than the national population mean, and 46.5% of the participants scored above that. All economic and noneconomic factors emerged as strong predictors of distress; particularly financial deprivation (OR 1.06; CI 95 % 1.04-1.09) and lack of structured time (OR 1.07; CI 95 % 1.05-1.09). Women (OR 1.40; CI 95 % 1.04-1.86) and people with lower education levels (OR 0.45; CI 95 % 0.34-0.61) were more affected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The unemployed individuals score high on distress, especially those facing financial strain and lack of structured time, and women and individuals with lower education in particular. Given the recessionary context and high unemployment rates, these insights raise awareness for policies and actions targeting the needs of unemployed people.
authors.affiliation: Aventura Social, Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal. dianafguerreiro@gmail.com.|Medical School and CMDT, Nova University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal. dianafguerreiro@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6057-205X
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Frasquilho
authors.affiliation: Aventura Social, Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.|William James Research Center, ISPA, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Margarida Gaspar
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: de Matos
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Centre for the Study of Human Performance, Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.|Public Health Research Centre, National School of Public Health, Nova University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Adilson
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.affiliation: Lisbon Lusíada University, Lisbon, Portugal.|ISAMB, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Tânia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gaspar
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Medical School, Nova University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: José Miguel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Caldas-de-Almeida
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D057172:Economic Recession / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014478:Unemployment / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Economic recession; Financial deprivation; Mental health; Psychological stress; Time structure; Unemployment