Young Workers, Women Hurt The Most By Fallout From Economic Crisis

How many of us have joined the ranks of the financially walking wounded? A year after Lehman Brothers collapsed and the economic crisis began in earnest, the American economy is still gasping for breath and many Americans are reporting substantial personal stress, ongoing financial problems and skepticism that any proposed reforms will have lasting effects.

In Virginia, unemployment stands at about 7 percent; Tennessee’s at 10 percent. But what do those numbers really mean? A recent study by ABC News and The Washington Post shows that in the past year, 41 percent of Americans have had someone in their household get decreased pay or hours. About 27 percent have had someone in their home laid off. Nearly half the country has been affected by one of these issues.

Obvious results are serious stress and depression, which can cause health problems, and a loss of health coverage, which can make it difficult or impossible to deal with those needs. Approximately 55 percent of Americans said the current economic situation is causing stress in their lives.

That rate jumps for the people who have faced a job loss or pay cut in their household; in that group, 72 percent report stress and 47 percent call it “serious stress.” And stress remains high for those who are worried about future pay cuts or possible job losses in the months ahead.

While some economists have said the recession is ending, or has ended, there were still more than 500,000 first-time jobless claims last week. Financial ruin is looming for thousands, if not millions, of Americans who have been looking for work for most of 2009 and are due to see their initial unemployment claims lapse, without any hope of a new job.

Less than a third of Americans believe the economic stimulus program has helped the economy, but most people still do not blame President Barack Obama for the economic situation. Only about 27 percent of Americans blame his administration for “not doing enough to turn the economy around.” Conversely, 65 percent blame the Bush administration “for inadequate regulation of the financial industry.” So most Americans still put the blame on the previous administration, nine months into the new one.

Not surprisingly, the poll found a partisan bias. Seventy-one percent of Democrats think the government is taking steps to make the country less vulnerable to another financial crisis. Just 41 percent of independents and 36 percent of Republicans agree.

But it appears all groups have been hurt in similar fashion by the economic fallout. Anywhere from 61 percent to 68 percent of Democrats, Republicans and independents say they’ve been hurt.

So where is stress highest? Among women, who in many cases have become the breadwinners for their families, and for lower-income adults, who have lost their jobs or had to take pay cuts. These are the groups hardest hit, behind those who have lost jobs outright in fields like manufacturing and construction. Stress is reportedly lowest among seniors, particularly men and those with higher incomes. A bit of extra income would give any of us added peace of mind, certainly.

But it’s worth noting that many in the group that would appear to have the least stress – at least by this poll – are complaining the most while the hardest hit in this job market, and apparently the most optimistic, have been the youngest workers.

Among people under 30 years old, 42 percent have reported a layoff or job loss in their household. Are they foolish, naïve, inherently optimistic or just too tired from working or job hunting to complain?