Recessions are harmful to health

The 2008 economic crisis led to rising unemployment, homelessness, and poverty—all important determinants of health. Government debt increased, as public money was used to prevent the collapse of the financial system, and many governments then cut public services to reduce this debt. But what has been the effect of all of this on health?

In a linked systematic review in The BMJ, Parmar and colleagues1 find that most studies investigating the 2008 recession in Europe show it was associated with adverse health outcomes. These findings were strongest for suicides and mental health problems. They find less evidence that the recession had a negative effect on self reported health, mortality, and health behaviours, and conclude that there was a high risk of bias in most of the studies reviewed.

Assessing the health effects of recessions is challenging. Firstly, the exposure of interest is poorly defined. The 2008 recession involved multiple economic processes, extending over at least 10 years, which could all negatively affect health.2 3 …