Health Sciences Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Health Science

Copyright Statement

All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of Nova Southeastern University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.

Department

College of Health Care Sciences – Health Science Department

First Advisor

Peter Holub

Date of original Performance / Presentation

January 2026

Publication Date / Copyright Date

1-1-2026

Abstract

This quantitative study examined the relationship between employment status and mental health outcomes among women aged 25–54 in the United States using secondary data from the 2024 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). The study investigated the relationship of employment status with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and serious psychological distress and explored if demographic and socioeconomic factors, including race, Hispanic ethnicity, income, health insurance status, and marital status, and age subgroups influenced this relationship. Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and logistic regression models were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that employment status was a statistically significant predictor of mental health outcomes, with unemployed women more likely to report symptoms of depression, anxiety, and serious psychological distress than employed women. Additionally, socioeconomic and demographic variables were associated with variations in mental health outcomes. These findings highlight employment as an important social determinant of mental health and emphasize the need for policies and public health interventions aimed at reducing unemployment-related mental health risks among women of working age.

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

Keywords

anxiety; depression; employment; serious psychological distress; women

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