Summary
One year after the closure of a furniture factory the health consequences of long-term unemployment were studied among the 215 former employees and an interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to measure psychological health, self-perceived physical health and health service use. Those remaining unemployed 12 months after the closure were found to be 8 times more likely to report poor psychological health than were the re-employed (Odds ratio (OR): 8.5; 95% CI: 4.2–17.0). Self-reported physical ill-health was generally thought be respondents to be due to former work (56 percent of all disorders were related by subjects to former work history) and was also found to be associated with current employment status (OR 5.6; 95% CI: 2.7–11.5). Health services were over-utilized by the unemployed (OR 2.2; 95% CI: 1.2–4.1) and this differential was demonstrated to be even greater for the older and those reporting more diseases. Given the increasing proportion of long term unemployed in many Western countries this health service over-utilization will impose a substantial burden on public health expenditures unless other means of psychological and social support are provided.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Beale N, Nethercott S (1985) Job-loss and family morbidity: a study of a factory closure. J R Coll Gen Pract 35: 510–514
Beale N, Nethercott S (1986) Job loss and health — the influence of age and previous morbidity. J R Coll Gen Pract 36: 261–264
Berkman PL (1971) Measurement of mental health in a general population survey. Am J Epidemiol 94: 105–111
Bolton W, Oatley K (1987) A longitudinal study support and depression in unemployed men. Psychol Med 17: 453–460
Brinkmann C, Potthoff P (1983) Gesundheitliche Probleme in der Eingangsphase der Arbeitslosigkeit. Mitteilungen Arbeitsmarkt Berufsforschung 16: 378–393
Cobb S, Kasl S (1977) Termination — the consequences of job loss. NIOSH Research Report Publication No 77-224, U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare
D'Arcy C, Siddique CM (1985) Unemployment and health: an analysis of “Canada Health Survey” data. Int J Health Serv 15: 609–635
Dooley D, Catalano R (1985) Why the economy predicts help seeking: a test of competing explanations. In: Westcott G, Svensson PG, Zoellner HFK (eds) Health policy implications of unemployment, WHO, Copenhagen, pp 205–229
Eichwalder R (1985) Fragen zur Gesundheit — Ausgewählte Ergebnisse des Mikrozensus Dezember 1983. Statistische Nachrichten 40: 154–162
Frese M, Mohr G (1987) Prolonged unemployment and depression in older workers: a longitudinal study of intervening variables. Soc Sci Med 25: 173–178
Harris C, Smith R (1987) What are the health authorities doing about the health problems caused by unemployment? Br Med J 294: 1076–1793
Jackson PR (1988) Personal networks, support mobilization and unemployment. Psychol Med 18: 397–404
Jenkins R, Macdonald A, Murray J, Strathdee G (1982) Minor psychiatric morbidity and the threat of redundancy in a professional group. Psychol Med 12: 799–807
Kasl SV, Cobb S (1966) Health behaviour, illness behaviour and sick role behaviour. Arch Environ Health 12: 246–266
Kasl SV, Gore S, Cobb S (1975) The experience of losing a job: reported changes in health, symptoms and illness behaviour. Psychosom Med 37: 106–121
Kelsey JL, Golden AL (1988) Occupational and workplace factors associated with low back pain. State Art Rev Occup Med 3: 7–16
Kleinbaum DG, Kupper LL, Morgenstern H (1982) Epidemiologic research. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, pp 140–158
Linn MW, Sandifer R, Stein S (1985) Effects of unemployment on mental and physical health. Am J Public Health 75: 502–506
Mohr G, Frese M (1981) Arbeitslosigkeit und Depression — zur Langzeitarbeitslosigkeit älterer Arbeiter. In: Wacker A (Hrsg) Vom Schock zum Fatalismus? Campus, Frankfurt, S 179–193
Ringel E, Gathmann P, Studnicka M, Rastetter D, Benke A, Kislinger A, Wenda R (1987) Arbeitslosigkeit und Gesundheitpräventive Ansätze. BM für soziale Verwaltung und BM für Gesundheit und Umweltschutz, Wien
Smith R (1985) “He never got over losing his job”: death on the dole. Br Med J 291: 1492–1495
Starrin B, Larsson G (1987) Coping with unemployment—a contribution to the understanding of women's unemployment. Soc Sci Med 25: 163–171
Strotzka H, Leitner I (1969) Sozialpsychiatrische Auswirkungen einer akuten ökonomischen Krise. Wien Med Wochenschr 10: 1969–1999
Studnicka MJ, Scheiber V (1988) Arbeitslosigkeit und Inanspruchnahme des Gesundheitssystems. Öff Gesundheitswes 50: 688–693
Warr P, Jackson P (1985) Factors influencing the psychological impact of prolonged unemployment and of re-employment. Psychol Med 15: 795–807
Williams P, Tarnopolsky A, Shepherd M (1986) Minor psychiatric morbidity and general practice consultation: the West London Survey. Psychol Med Monogr [Suppl 9]: 1–36
Zerssen D (1976) Klinische Selbstbeurteilungsskalen aus dem Münchner Psychiatrischen Informations-System (PSYCHIS München), Beltz, Weinheim
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Studnicka, M., Studnicka-Benke, A., Wögerbauer, G. et al. Psychological health, self-reported physical health and health service use. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 26, 86–91 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00791533
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00791533