Unemployment - Women in South Dakota

South Dakota

There is a strong relationship between employment status and mental and physical health. Unemployment is linked to mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and mental distress. Underemployment, or involuntarily working part-time, can also lead to adverse psychosocial and physical health outcomes. Unemployment is associated with a higher risk of mortality compared with those who are employed.

The effects of job loss are not limited to the individual, as studies show a profound impact on affected families and children. A stable, safe and well-paying job facilitates access to essential social drivers of health, such as quality housing, health insurance, childcare and nutritious food. In the United States, unemployment can also mean losing access to health insurance, as employers provide more than half of health insurance coverage. 

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, unemployment rates are higher among:

• Younger women ages 16-19 compared with women age 20 and older.
• Hispanic and Black women compared with Asian and white women.
• Women with less than a high school diploma. Unemployment rates decrease as educational attainment increases. 

Women are disproportionately burdened with caretaking responsibilities for children and other family members. Therefore, addressing the lack of affordable childcare and supportive policies, such as paid family and medical leave, can improve women’s ability to maintain full-time or stable work. 

Healthy People 2030 tracks different measures of economic stability, including an objective to increase employment among the working-age population (ages 16-64).

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Golden, Lonnie, and Jaeseung Kim. The Rise And Fall Of Underemployment: Implications For Workers’ Health. Health Affairs Health Policy Brief, July 13, 2023. https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hpb20230602.799370/full/.

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Mooi-Reci, Irma, and Mark Wooden. “Jobless Parents, Unhealthy Children? How Past Exposure to Parental Joblessness Influences Children’s Future Health.” SSM - Population Health 19 (September 2022): 101144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2022.101144.

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