Gendered associations between time-related underemployment and mental health: longitudinal evidence from 21 waves of cohort data

Abstract

Background Underemployment is an increasing feature of global labour markets. However, the mental health impacts of underemployment remain relatively under-researched. Longitudinal evidence is particularly sparse, as is accounting for gender differences in the association. Addressing key gaps, this study examines the association between time-related underemployment and mental health in Australian adults. Methods Pooled panel data from 21 waves (2002–2022) of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey (n=18 288 participants, 124 531 observations) was used. Fixed-effects linear regression and Mundlak adjustment modelling was conducted to examine how time-related underemploym..