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Keywords: Logistic Regression, Mediation Analysis, Big Data Analysis, Mental Health, Unemployment, Concentration Ability
Purpose: Compromised mental health severely torments residents across the US by creating concentration difficulties and reducing their competitiveness as employees. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the negative effects of mental health on employment and explore whether the effect is partially or fully mediated through the effect of concentration ability.
Procedure: The data was obtained in a Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey, in which 178, 242 US adult residents reported their mental health condition, concentration ability, employment status, as well as other confounding variables such as race, age, and marital status. Logistic regression was employed to assess the association between mental health and employment status. Mediation analysis was used to test if the effect is partially or fully mediated through the effect of concentration problem.
Results: Logistic regression analysis revealed that those with compromised mental health were 77% times as likely as those with good mental health to be employed. Mediation analysis showed that 34% of the effect of mental health on employment was mediated through concentration ability. Furthermore, the p-value for ACME in the mediation analysis was less than 0.001, indicating a statistically significant mediation.
Conclusion: Overall, there was a negative correlation between compromised mental health and employment status. A fairly large proportion of the effect could be explained by concentration problems. The findings validated the importance of future research and implementation of medical treatments for improvements in both health and employment status.