The impact of economic shocks on mental and physical health

This PhD explores the causal pathways between economic circumstances and health status by exploiting economic shocks and causal mediation analysis methods. It focuses on the effects of unemployment and income loss, especially during the Great Recession, on different measures of physical and mental health among older individuals. It employs multiple longitudinal datasets such as the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) and the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) to study the role of risky health-behaviours in mediating the causal relationship between employment and health. The use of innovative methods allows the unpacking of causal relationships while also providing more accurate evidence to policy makers about the direct and indirect mechanisms leading to poor physical and mental health.


The PhD student will be based within the Health Economics at Lancaster (HEAL) research group in the Division of Health Research (DHR), Lancaster University.

For further information about the project please contact [Email Address Removed] or [Email Address Removed]

Applications are made by completing an application for PhD Health Research October 2019 through our online application system. Closing date: midnight 15th March 2019