Drops in Income may Not Only Hurt the Wallet, but They may Also Harm Your Heart and Brain

A new study finds people who underwent a substantial decline in income are also more likely to suffer from heart and mental health issues. Researchers looked at almost 9,000 people from four regions of the United States for nearly two decades.

The verdict showed that a hit to a person's paycheck could lead to poorer memory, thinking skills, and cardiovascular health, which researchers compared to what happens to most adults as they age. 

The effects of income decline on mental and cardiovascular health

The study, published in JAMA Cardiology, discovered that the subjects whose earnings dropped by 50 percent or more were 17 percent more prone to suffer from cardiovascular issues such as stroke or heart attack. The patients whose income increased by 50 percent were 14 percent less likely to have cardiovascular events.

Cardiologist Dr. Tara Narula told NBC News that several factors that would contribute to this outcome. She said a drop in income causes people to choose unhealthy food.

"The stress may [lead to unhealthy] social behaviors [such as] smoking or drinking," Narula said. She added that these kinds of lifestyle could lead to coronary artery disease and depression.

She said 80 percent of cardiovascular disease is preventable, primarily through the help of lifestyle factors such as exercise, monitoring cholesterol and blood pressure levels, and healthy diet.

However, there are other factors at play a role in the study's findings. Employees may not be able to work anymore if he or she gets sickness that may affect his or her role. Losing a spouse who serves as a primary breadwinner is another cause.

A separate study - published in the online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology - discovered that people with two or more profit declines had worse performances in fulfilling responsibilities than people with no income drops. On average, they scored worse by 2.8 percent.

Researchers discovered that people with two or more income drops had smaller total brain volume compared to people with stable income. Employees with two or more income drops likewise had fewer links between different areas of the brain.

Study author Leslie Grasset of the Inserm Research Center in Bordeaux, France said there are various justifications as to why an unstable income may influence brain health.

Grasset said people with a lower or unpredictable income might lead to limited access to high-quality health care, which may result in diabetes and heart issues or unhealthy behaviors such as smoking and drinking. 

 "It is possible that enhancing the stability of income could play a beneficial role in brain health, and there are [simple management alternatives] to lessen unemployment insurance and short-term wage insurance," the study lead author said.

Dealing with financial uncertainty

Since the study found a connection between income and cardiovascular health, Narula said doctors need to consider income when treating their patients.

Narula said assessing one's socioeconomic background and how that might that play into their decision-making is essential in job screenings. "Employees can take care of employees better if they could understand the background of their people," she said.