Relative Deprivation, Conspicuous Consumption, and Medical Financial Hardship: Potential Reasons for Debt and Mental Health

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Patricia Drentea ◽  
Aowen Zhu ◽  
Lingfei Guo
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Relative Deprivation ◽  
Conspicuous Consumption ◽  
Financial Hardship

CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION OF ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORKING DEVICES AND SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING OF BANGKOKIANS

2017 ◽  
Vol 64 (05) ◽  
pp. 1371-1395
Author(s):  
CHANTAL HERBERHOLZ ◽  
NATTAYA PRAPAIPANICH
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
Conspicuous Consumption ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Online Social Networking ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Material Goods ◽  
Consumption Theory

Empirical evidence of the conspicuous consumption theory is limited and ambiguous. It has been shown, however, that the consumption of life experiences makes people happier than the consumption of material goods. Yet, these studies typically conduct dichotomous comparisons and do not distinguish between conspicuous and inconspicuous consumption. Conspicuous and inconspicuous online social networking devices (OSND) are experiential goods and as such fall between life experiences and material goods. The objective of this paper, thus, is to examine the relationship between conspicuous consumption of OSND and subjective well-being, which is proxied by happiness and mental health. Cross-sectional data ([Formula: see text]) were collected in 2015 using probability sampling. The ordered logistic regression results reveal that conspicuous consumption of OSND is negatively related with happiness and mental health in all regressions as hypothesized, while the coefficient on inconspicuous consumption of OSND is positive. Also, the number of virtual friends is negatively associated with happiness. Among the control variables, it is noteworthy that respondents with high blood pressure, used to capture physical health, have lower happiness and mental health, while respondents with higher education and high own monthly income exhibit higher happiness and mental health. Respondents, whose personality can best be characterized as “agreeable”, have lower happiness and mental health which is in line with the old saying that “nice guys finish last”.

scholarly journals Rural-Urban Variation in COVID-19 Experiences and Impacts among U.S. Working-Age Adults

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon M Monnat
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Family Member ◽  
Geographic Variation ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Close Friend ◽  
Financial Hardship ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Rural Counties ◽  
Working Age

This study investigates rural-urban continuum differences in COVID-19 experiences and impacts to physical and mental health, social relationships, employment, and financial hardship among U.S. working-age adults (18-64) from the National Wellbeing Survey collected in February and March 2021 (N=3,933). Most respondents (58%) reported that COVID-19 has had a negative impact on their lives. Residents of rural counties adjacent to metro areas reported the worst outcomes. They were more likely than residents of large urban counties to report testing positive for coronavirus, living with someone who tested positive, having a close friend or family member outside of the household test positive, having a close friend or family member hospitalized, seeking treatment for anxiety or depression, being late paying rent, mortgage, and other bills, not being able to afford groceries or other necessities, and getting a loan from family or friends. Recovery policies must consider geographic variation in COVID-19 vulnerability and impacts.

Economic crisis and mental health – findings from low- and middle income countries

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (02) ◽  
pp. 86-89
Author(s):  
M. Koesters ◽  
S. Weinmann
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Relative Deprivation ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Economic Crises ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
The Social ◽  
Few Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Summary Background: There is consistent evidence of an inverse relationship between poverty and mental health. However, the influence of economic crises on mental health is not well studied and there are very few data particularly from low- and middle income countries (LAMICs). This review discusses theories and views on the impact of economic crises on mental health in LAMICs and reports the results of two empirical studies. Result: It appears that relative deprivation and the social and psychological meaning of deep changes in the economic situation of a person, a family or a group, have a greater effect on mental health than just material circumstances and unemployment.

scholarly journals Do Locus of Control, Self-esteem, Hope and Shame Mediate the Relationship Between Financial Hardship and Mental Health?

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 404-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Frankham ◽  
Thomas Richardson ◽  
Nick Maguire
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Locus Of Control ◽  
Psychological Factors ◽  
Suicide Ideation ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Financial Hardship ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Mediation Analyses ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract In a longitudinal study of 104 participants, the psychological factors of economic locus of control, self-esteem, hope and shame were explored for their impact on the relationship between financial hardship and mental health. Participants completed measures of financial hardship, the psychological factors and measures of mental health three times at three-monthly intervals. A hierarchical regression analyses indicated that subjective financial hardship, hope and shame significantly predicted mental health outcomes. Mediation analyses demonstrated that hope mediated the relationship between subjective financial hardship and depression, stress and wellbeing; that shame mediated the relationship between subjective financial hardship and anxiety; and that neither shame nor hope mediated the relationship between subjective financial hardship and suicide ideation.

Why does relative deprivation affect mental health? The role of justice, trust and social rank in psychological wellbeing and paranoid ideation

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 114-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Wickham ◽  
Nick Shryane ◽  
Minna Lyons ◽  
Thomas Dickins ◽  
Richard Bentall
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Relative Deprivation ◽  
Social Rank ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
Multiple Mediation ◽  
Paranoid Ideation ◽  
Psychological Outcome ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Address Data ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – Relative deprivation is associated with poor mental health but the mechanisms responsible have rarely been studied. The purpose of this paper is to hypothesize that childhood perceived relative deprivation (PRD) would be linked to sub-syndromal psychotic symptoms and poor wellbeing via beliefs about justice, trust and social rank. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 683 undergraduate students were administered measures of childhood PRD, hallucination-proneness, paranoia and wellbeing and measures of trust, social rank and beliefs about justice. A subsample supplied childhood address data. Multiple mediation analysis was used to assess pathways from childhood experiences to outcomes. Findings – Childhood PRD was associated with all three outcomes. The relationship between PRD and paranoia was fully mediated by perceptions that the world is unjust for the self and low social rank. The same variables mediated the relationship between PRD and poor wellbeing. There were no significant mediators of the relationship between PRD and hallucination-proneness. Research limitations/implications – Although our outcome measures have been validated with student samples, it may not be representative. The study is cross-sectional with a retrospective measure of PRD, although similar results were found using childhood addresses to infer objective deprivation. Further studies are required using prospective measures and patient samples. Social implications – Social circumstances that promote feelings of low social worth and injustice may confer risk of poor psychological outcome. Ameliorating these circumstances may improve population mental health. Originality/value – Improvements in public mental health will require an understanding of the mechanisms linking adversity to poor outcomes. This paper explores some probable mechanisms which have hitherto been neglected.

scholarly journals Does living in remote Australia lessen the impact of hardship on psychological distress?

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 500-509 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Butterworth ◽  
B. J. Kelly ◽  
T. E. Handley ◽  
K. J. Inder ◽  
T. J. Lewin
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Lower Risk ◽  
Financial Hardship ◽  
Rural Residents ◽  
Remote Areas ◽  
National Population ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Aims.Rural and remote regions tend to be characterised by poorer socioeconomic conditions than urban areas, yet findings regarding differences in mental health between rural and urban areas have been inconsistent. This suggests that other features of these areas may reduce the impact of hardship on mental health. Little research has explored the relationship of financial hardship or deprivation with mental health across geographical areas.Methods.Data were analysed from a large longitudinal Australian study of the mental health of individuals living in regional and remote communities. Financial hardship was measured using items from previous Australian national population research, along with measures of psychological distress (Kessler-10), social networks/support and community characteristics/locality, including rurality/remoteness (inner regional; outer regional; remote/very remote). Multilevel logistic regression modelling was used to examine the relationship between hardship, locality and distress. Supplementary analysis was undertaken using Australian Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey data.Results.2161 respondents from the Australian Rural Mental Health Study (1879 households) completed a baseline survey with 26% from remote or very remote regions. A significant association was detected between the number of hardship items and psychological distress in regional areas. Living in a remote location was associated with a lower number of hardships, lower risk of any hardship and lower risk of reporting three of the seven individual hardship items. Increasing hardship was associated with no change in distress for those living in remote areas. Respondents from remote areas were more likely to report seeking help from welfare organisations than regional residents. Findings were confirmed with sensitivity tests, including replication with HILDA data, the use of alternative measures of socioeconomic circumstances and the application of different analytic methods.Conclusions.Using a conventional and nationally used measure of financial hardship, people residing in the most remote regions reported fewer hardships than other rural residents. In contrast to other rural residents, and national population data, there was no association between such hardship and mental health among residents in remote areas. The findings suggest the need to reconsider the experience of financial hardship across localities and possible protective factors within remote regions that may mitigate the psychological impact of such hardship.

scholarly journals COVID-19-Related Financial Hardship, Job Loss, and Mental Health Symptoms: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Study in a Rural Agrarian Community in India

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (16) ◽  
pp. 8647
Author(s):  
Sangeeta Chatterji ◽  
Lotus McDougal ◽  
Nicole Johns ◽  
Mohan Ghule ◽  
Namratha Rao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Job Loss ◽  
Recovery Process ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Financial Hardship ◽  
Mental Health Symptoms ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health Symptoms ◽  
Social Distancing

Several countries, including India, imposed mandatory social distancing, quarantine, and lockdowns to stop the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Although these measures were effective in curbing the spread of the virus, prolonged social distancing, quarantine, and the resultant economic disruption led to an increase in financial stress and mental health concerns. Prior studies established a link between the first lockdown and an increase in mental health issues. However, few studies investigated the association between post-lockdown financial hardship, job loss, and mental health. In this study, we examined the association between COVID-19-related financial hardship, job loss, and mental health symptoms approximately nine months after the end of the first nationwide lockdown in India. Job loss was associated with higher reporting of mental health symptoms among men (aIRR = 1.16) while financial hardship was associated with poor mental health symptoms among women (aIRR = 1.29). Conversely, social support and government aid were associated with better mental health symptoms among women. Our findings highlight the need for financial assistance and job creation programs to aid families in the recovery process. There is also an urgent need for improving the availability and affordability of mental health services in rural areas.

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