Citation

Hollederer A. J. Public Health (Heidelberg) 2015; 23(6): 319-325.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10389-015-0685-4

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

AIM: The aim of the review is to identify and assess moderator variables for the association between unemployment and health.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: As a social determinant of health, mass unemployment is a major challenge for public health. Health promotion among the unemployed is underdeveloped. This review examines meta-analyses using quantitative methods to study the influence of unemployment on morbidity and mortality.

RESULTS: International meta-analyses consistently show that both the risk of morbidity and of premature mortality is significantly higher for unemployed persons compared to the employed. A wide range of moderating factors is identified. However, many of the discussed socio-demographic variables were not confirmed by the latest statistical moderation analyses, while other recently identified health variables and macroeconomic factors were added. The overview shows that the findings of moderating analyses on the effects of unemployment on health, premature mortality and suicide are quite inhomogeneous.

CONCLUSION: The interaction between unemployment and health points to a need for prevention and health promotion. The moderator analyses provide different insights for an approach of health promotion as well as for behavioural and structural prevention. © 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Language: en

Keywords

Prevention; human; mental health; systematic review; depression; sex difference; public health; Health; suicide attempt; wellbeing; Unemployment; unemployment; morbidity; alcohol consumption; socioeconomics; distress syndrome; smoking; clinical feature; anxiety disorder; emotion; health status; health promotion; demography; meta analysis; professional standard; health hazard; Health promotion; educational status; Article; Health inequalities; social determinants of health; premature mortality; Health determinants