Estudio de la asociación entre la discriminación laboral, la salud y el uso de servicios sanitarios en Andalucía: una aplicación de propensity score matching con muestras pequeñas

TLDR: In this paper, the authors explore the association between employment discrimination and health in Andalusia (Spain) based on a sample of 1200 individuals and find that people reporting employment discrimination present a higher use of primary health services, a result that might be related with the higher prevalence of depressive disorders of socioeconomically disadvantaged groups.

Abstract: El presente estudio tiene como objetivo explorar la asociacion entre discriminacion laboral y salud en Andalucia (Espana). Este estudio se basa en una muestra de 1200 individuos. El indicador de discriminacion laboral fue disenado a traves de una pregunta abierta que se referia a otros tipos de discriminacion. Aunque la categoria discriminacion laboral no se incluyo inicialmente en el cuestionario, el 65% de los participantes se consideraron sujetos a discriminacion laboral mientras que solo el 35% informaron otras causas habituales de discriminacion. Las medidas de propension muestran que las personas que reportan discriminacion laboral presentan un mayor uso de servicios de salud primaria, un resultado que podria estar relacionado con la mayor prevalencia de trastornos depresivos en grupos socioeconomicamente desfavorecidos. Aunque se necesita profundizar en esta materia, la orientacion futura de las politicas sociales y de salud de la UE deberian incluir como objetivo la reduccion del impacto social del desempleo y la precariedad laboral a fin de reducir la discriminacion y promover la equidad en salud. The present study aims to explore the association between employment discrimination and health in Andalusia (Spain). This study is based on a sample of 1200 individuals. The employment discrimination indicator was designed is through the results of an open-ended question that refers to other types of discrimination. Although the category ‘employment discrimination’ were not initially included in the questionnaire, 65% of participants perceived themselves as subject to employment discrimination while only 35% reported other usual causes of discrimination. Employment discrimination has been found similarly associated to poor health outcomes. Propensity scores show people reporting employment discrimination present a higher use of primary health services, a result that might be related with the higher prevalence of depressive disorders of socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. Although additional research is needed, the future orientation of EU social and health policies should aim to reduce the social impact of unemployment and insecure jobs in order to reduce discrimination and promote health equity.