Length of unemployment and health-related outcomes: a life-course analysis
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BACKGROUND: Most previous studies on the effects of length of unemployment on health have focused on the duration of continuous spells of unemployment rather than on the cumulative length of intermittent spells. This study analysed the relationship between the cumulative length of intermittent spells of unemployment and different health-related outcomes using data from a longitudinal study of school leavers. METHODS: All pupils who completed compulsory schooling in 1981 in a medium-sized town in northern Sweden (N = 1083) were followed for 14 years with repeated questionnaires including questions about unemployment, health and health behaviour. RESULTS: Men tended to react with a steady state or a levelling off of health symptoms with increased unemployment, whereas women showed deteriorating health symptoms. For health behaviour the reverse occurred. Women's health behaviour was less connected with increased unemployment while men's health behaviour tended to deteriorate. CONCLUSION: Cumulative length of unemployment is correlated with deteriorated health and health behaviour. Long-term unemployment, even as a result of cumulated shorter employment spells over a number of years should be an urgent target for policy makers.
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Unemployment is strongly associated with adverse health outcomes and behaviour, including harmful consumption of alcohol and illicit drugs, being overweight, lower self-rated quality of life and health, and higher levels of depression and risk of suicide.
“we already know that unemployment is strongly associated with adverse health outcomes and behaviour, including harmful consumption of alcohol41–44 and illicit drugs,43 44 being overweight,43 and having lower self-rated quality of life41 45 and health46 and higher levels of depression44 and risk of suicide.41 47”
From Threats by artificial intelligence to human health and human existence (2023) · cites this paper as [42]
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- Authors
- Janlert, U., Winefield, A. H., & Hammarström, A.
- Affiliations
- Umeå University (SE)
- University of South Australia (AU)
- Venue
- The European Journal of Public Health
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2014-11-23
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 662-667
- ISSN
- 1101-1262 (ISSN-L)
- 1464-360X
- OpenAlex
- W2089111727
- Cited by
- 66
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 2
- FWCI
- 4.82
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- European Journal of Public Health (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Forskningsrådet för Arbetsliv och Socialvetenskap
- Svenska Forskningsrådet Formas
- Vetenskapsrådet
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Employment and Welfare Studies
- Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Workplace Health and Well-being
- Keywords
- unemployment duration, health outcomes, health behavior, sex differences, school leavers, life course analysis, unemployment policy
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Alcohol Drinking, Employment, Female, Health Status, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Mental Health, Retrospective Studies, Sex Factors, Smoking, Sweden, Unemployment, Health Behavior, Young Adult
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