Exploring socioeconomic and mental health trajectories during times of economic recession: a qualitative study with primary health care users and professionals

Abstract

Background: The 2008 economic recession has been shown to affect populations’ mental health due to deterioration of socioeconomic and living conditions. Concurrently, mental health problems may have constituted a vulnerability to wider social inequalities during this period.

Aims: To explore perceptions and experiences of primary health care users and professionals regarding the relationship between mental health and socioeconomic position during the economic recession in Portugal.

Method: Data were collected in three primary health care centres in Lisbon Metropolitan Area. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted with users and professionals, respectively. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and underwent thematic analysis.

Results: Two themes were obtained. The first comprised the relationship between changes in socioeconomic conditions (unemployment, precarious work conditions and financial hardship) and poor mental health. The second involved the consequences of experiencing mental health problems during the recession, namely disability, need of sick leave and early retirement.

Conclusions: This study provided a comprehensive overview of the bidirectional relationship between socioeconomic conditions and mental health, emphasizing the need to develop policies to address the drivers of poor mental health during times of economic downturn and tackle the barriers faced by people with mental disorders to promote their full social inclusion.

Keywords:

• Disability
• economic recession
• mental health
• primary care
• qualitative research
• thematic analysis
• well-being

Acknowledgments

Thanks to all the primary health care users and professionals who made this research possible. The authors also wish to acknowledge Dr Luís Pisco from ARS-LVT, Dr Carla Abril from USCP Póva de Santa Iria, Dr Jorge Caixinhas from USF São Marcos, Dr Paula Broeiro from USCP Olivais and Dr Bruno Heleno for their valuable support planning and collecting data. Thanks are extended to all members of the MH Crisis Impact Study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

A. A. received a grant from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), reference PD/BD/105822/2014. The MH Crisis Impact Study was granted by the Public Health Initiatives Programme (PT06), financed by EEA Grants Financial Mechanism 2009–2014. For further information, visit http//www.eeagrants.gov.pt/.