Open AccessMorbidity among unemployed and work-incapacitated men in The Netherlands.
Author(s) -
Frans G.E.M. Van Der Horst,
Jean Muris,
Frans Nijhuis
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of work, environment and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.621
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1795-990X
pISSN - 0355-3140
DOI - 10.5271/sjweh.1485
Subject(s) - unemployment , work (physics) , social security , gerontology , work hours , population , psychology , demographic economics , occupational safety and health , demography , medicine , working hours , labour economics , political science , sociology , economics , economic growth , mechanical engineering , pathology , law , engineering
As yet, the relationship between unemployment and physical health has not sufficiently been clarified. With a longitudinal approach a representative Dutch panel study and a study on a health center population were carried out. They involved work-incapacitated and unemployed men between 21 and 65 years of age. Men incapacitated for work were in poorer health than matched working men; the same was true in a three-year follow-up. Unemployed and working men were shown to be equally healthy. The physical health of the incapacitated men decreased with time but that of the unemployed men did not. This finding implies that unemployment per se does not lead to poorer health. Differences in social security systems seem to interfere with an international comparison of the consequences of unemployment on health. International research should distinguish more explicitly between those who are unemployed for economic reasons or incapacitated for work for medical reasons.