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These days, it's often presented as a given that we should welcome the economic booms that come with establishing big factories, data centers, and energy extraction and processing projects. Yet while the jobs may be welcome, it’s worth considering the possibility that long-term single-industry investments could put people’s mental health at risk.

Put another way, a boom in manufacturing may be good only for some. What is seldom mentioned when red ribbons are being cut is what happens when the boom gives way to the inevitable bust, and the most vulnerable workers—usually, those who are younger and less educated—are told to go home.

What the Research Shows About Manufacturing Booms and Mental Health

When economies are too focused on a single industry—whether it's mining, car manufacturing, or any other employment sector—the benefits may not be shared equally research suggests.

Consider, for example, what we can learn from a study by Eric Katovich and his colleagues at the University of Connecticut, who compared outcomes for Brazilian workers in oil and gas industries and those in less volatile industries during periods of economic boom and bust (2006 to 2014). Because 2008 brought with it a worldwide recession, their data captured both parts of the cycle.

While the findings are nuanced, the results suggest that workers who entered the volatile oil and gas industry early and had more education upon entry tended........

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