title: The great recession, youth unemployment and inequalities in psychological health complaints in adolescents: a multilevel study in 31 countries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Little is known about the impact of recessions on young people's socioeconomic inequalities in health. This study investigates the impact of the economic recession in terms of youth unemployment on socioeconomic inequalities in psychological health complaints among adolescents across Europe and North America.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the WHO collaborative 'Health Behaviour in School-aged Children' (HBSC) study were collected in 2005/06 (N = 160,830) and 2009/10 (N = 166,590) in 31 European and North American countries. Logistic multilevel models were used to assess the contribution of youth unemployment in 2009/10 (enduring recession) and the change in youth unemployment (2005-2010) to adolescent psychological health complaints and socioeconomic inequalities in complaints in 2009/10.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Youth unemployment during the recession is positively related to psychological health complaints, but not to inequalities in complaints. Changes in youth unemployment (2005-2010) were not associated with adolescents' psychological health complaints, whereas greater inequalities in complaints were found in countries with greater increases in youth unemployment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study highlights the need to tackle the impact of increasing unemployment on adolescent health and health inequalities during economic recessions.
authors: Institute of Medical Sociology, Medical Faculty, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany. katharina.rathmann@medizin.uni-halle.de.
authors: Katharina
authors: K
authors: Rathmann
authors: Institute of Medical Sociology, Medical Faculty, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany.|Institute of Medical Sociology, Health Services Research, and Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Human Sciences and the Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors: Timo-Kolja
authors: TK
authors: Pförtner
authors: Hertie School of Governance Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors: Klaus
authors: K
authors: Hurrelmann
authors: Department of Economics, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Cali, Cali, Colombia.
authors: Ana M
authors: AM
authors: Osorio
authors: Health Psychology Unit, Institute of Public Health, Medical Faculty, P. J. Safarik University in Kosice, Kosice, Slovak Republic.|Department of Quantitative Methods, Faculty of Business Economy in Kosice, University of Economics in Bratislava, Kosice, Slovak Republic.|Olomouc University Social Health Institute (OUSHI), Palacky University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors: Lucia
authors: L
authors: Bosakova
authors: Institute for Health and Social Policy and Douglas Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors: Frank J
authors: FJ
authors: Elgar
authors: Institute of Medical Sociology, Medical Faculty, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany.
authors: Matthias
authors: M
authors: Richter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D057172:Economic Recession / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006153:Guanosine Diphosphate; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055361:Multilevel Analysis; D009656:North America / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014478:Unemployment / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D006153:Guanosine Diphosphate
keywords: Adolescence; Health inequalities; Multilevel analysis; Recession; Subjective health; Youth unemployment