Submission ID 118396
| Issue/Objective | The COVID-19 pandemic and Lebanon's ongoing economic, political, and humanitarian crises exacerbated existing inequalities, including gender disparities in labor participation and health. This study examines factors contributing to employment attrition and related gender and mental health disparities during these crises. |
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| Methodology/Approach | A mixed methods approach was used for a national cross-sectional study of adults aged 19-64 years. Participants were recruited (January-June 2024) using random digit dialing and surveyed by telephone (n=4,725). For this analysis on employed adults pre-2020, 2,103 participants were included. Women employed during COVID-19 were invited for an in-depth interview (n=44). The survey included sociodemographics, employment, and self-reported health (mental and physical). Interviews explored work challenges, health impacts, and workforce re-entry pathways. Logistic regression and thematic analyses were employed. |
| Results | Overall, 24% of women were employed in 2024 compared to 76% of men. Among those who were employed pre-2020, 25% of women and 11% of men left/lost their job during 2020-2023. Pertinent correlates of employment attrition were being female, of older age, having non-Lebanese nationality, being married, never having attended school, and having an oral (non-contractual) employment agreement. Women were 1.79 times more likely to leave/lose their jobs compared to men (95%CI:1.32-2.43). The odds of self-reported anxiety (aOR:1.63;95%CI:1.22-2.16) and depression (aOR:1.79;95%CI:1.36-2.37) were higher among those who left/lost their job compared to those who did not. Stratifying by sex showed that the odds of anxiety (aORmales:1.70;95%CI:1.19-2.42 vs. aORfemales:1.48;95%CI:0.92-2.39) and depression (aORmales:1.90;95%CI:1.35-2.67 vs. aORfemales:1.66;95%CI:1.02-2.68) were higher among men who left/lost their job compared to women who left/lost their job. Those who reported caring for 2+ dependents were 1.46 (95%CI:1.09-1.96) times more likely to leave/lose their job than those with no caregiving responsibilities. Interview data among currently unemployed women revealed that low/devalued salaries, inflexible working hours, high transportation costs, and lack of caregiving support drove workforce exit during ongoing crises. |
| Discussion/Conclusion | In a context with large gender differentials in labor force participation, concurrent crises led more women to leave/lose their job than men, further widening the employment gender gap. These findings underscore the importance of addressing health consequences of disparities within the labor market, particularly during shocks and in contexts lacking social safety nets. |
| Presenters and affiliations | Jocelyn DeJong Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut Ali Abboud Economics Department, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, American University of Beirut Serena Canaan Economics Department, Simon Fraser University Myriam Dagher Center for Research on Population and Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut Sasha Fahme Center for Research on Population and Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut Hala Ghattas Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina Rita Itani Center for Research on Population and Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut Stephen J McCall Center for Research on Population and Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut Ghada E Saad Center for Research on Population and Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut Nisreen Salti Economics Department, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, American University of Beirut Pamela Zgheib Mother and Child and school Health Unit, Ministry of Public Health |
