In the late 1970s, the economic discomfort index gained prominence as a measure of economic distress.

This index combines the unemployment rate with inflation levels.

It was notably utilized by Jimmy Carter during his 1976 presidential campaign against incumbent Gerald Ford.

The index was later rebranded as the misery index by Ronald Reagan, who effectively leveraged it to critique Carter's administration, which faced challenges of rising inflation and unemployment.

Reagan's strategic use of the misery index contributed to his electoral success in both the 1980 and 1984 presidential elections, coinciding with a decline in the index during his presidency.