The Global Economic Crisis, Economic Distress, and Mental Health in Poland

Abstract

Whereas it is well-established that socioeconomic conditions impact self-reported mental health in Central and Eastern Europe, it is less well-known how the Global Economic Crisis and changes to specific features of economic security influence mental health outcomes. I use the 2003, 2008 and 2013 waves of the Polish Panel Survey POLPAN to examine the relationship between economic distress, defined as being unable to provide basic necessities for one’s self or family, as well as being unemployed, and two mental health outcomes. I find that, net of other factors, Poles under economic distress reported substantially worse emotional health and greater social isolation. I found that the Global Economic Crisis had a small but not profound effect on mental health, and unemployment had an effect only in 2008. In 2008 and 2013, being unable to provide basic necessities for one’s self or family was strongly associated with worsened mental health, other things equal.