Original Research Article Gender Differences in Self-Reported Health during Times of Economic Crises: Does Employment Status Matter

Background: Employment status has an impact on health and is a source of health inequalities. But little is known about its impact on the health of people residing in the County of Västernorrland, Sweden. The recent economic recession affected this region in a way which worsened the already existing unemployment rate. Objective of the study: This study aimed to examine the relationship between employment status, gender and self-reported health in the County of Västernorrland, Sweden in the year 2010. Setting and Design: The study used data from a cross-sectional “Health on Equal Terms ” survey, carried in the County of Västernorrland in 2010. A total of 6,050 women and men aged 16-65 years were included in the analysis. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were performed, and results were expressed as odds ratio with 95 % confidence intervals. Results: Women and men who were out of work had odds of poor self-reported health of 2.31 (CI 1.94-2.94) and 2.39 (CI 1.96-2.58), respectively. Controlling for other variables reduced the odds of poor health, but the relationship continued to be statistically significant