56% say they are struggling to get by

MORE than half of the Irish population is now finding it much harder to make ends meet, a study on the health of the nation has found.

It also found that more than two out of five Irish homes have been hit severely by the current recession.

The 2010 Pfizer Health Index, now in its fifth year, found 13% of adults reported losing their job, compared with 7% in 2009.