Bank Crash Hits Women Harder

Women gather at a rally in Reykjavik to mark victory for their rights, but remain more vulnerable than men to the economic crisis. Credit: Lowana Veal/IPS. By Lowana VealREYKJAVIK, Nov 17 2013 (IPS) Women in Iceland have been more badly affected by the economic collapse in 2008 than their male counterparts, both in terms of physical and mental health, studies show. In one study carried out this year on people interviewed both before and after the financial crash, unemployed women, female students and women not active in the labour market showed particularly high stress levels in the year following the crash, along with women nearing retirement age (67 in Iceland) and non-skilled women. “Most research on people who have experienced economic setbacks has been directed at men, and yes, those who have studied both sexes have found that men are more affected than women. Our results of the effects of the economic collapse are unusual, i.e. the effect on mental health appears to be primarily on women,” Unnur Anna Valdimarsdottir from the Centre of Public Health Sciences (CPHS) at the University of Iceland tells IPS.“Stressful events have been shown to have, if anything, more effect on heart diseases of women than men, and it is possible that different stressors could be gender-specific." “Women have been more affected by the economic collapse and subsequent recession in Iceland than has been publicized, or seen in other countries,” says Chris McClure, a PhD student at CPHS...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Tags: Active Citizens Civil Society Development & Aid Economy & Trade Editors' Choice Europe Featured Financial Crisis Gender Gender Identity Headlines Health Labour Regional Categories Women & Economy Women's Health Banks cras Source Type: news