Does job loss cause ill health?

TitleDoes job loss cause ill health?
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2009
AuthorsSalm, M
JournalHealth Econ
Volume18
Issue9
Pagination1075-89
Date Published2009 Sep
ISSN Number1099-1050
Call Numbernewpubs20090908_Salm.pdf
KeywordsActivities of Daily Living, Age Factors, Cohort Studies, Cross-Sectional Studies, Employment, Female, Health Status, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Sex Factors, Smoking, Socioeconomic factors
Abstract

This study estimates the effect of job loss on health for near elderly employees based on longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study. Previous studies find a strong negative correlation between unemployment and health. To control for possible reverse causality, this study focuses on people who were laid off for an exogenous reason - the closure of their previous employers' business. I find no causal effect of exogenous job loss on various measures of physical and mental health. This suggests that the inferior health of the unemployed compared to the employed could be explained by reverse causality.

DOI10.1002/hec.1537
User Guide Notes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19634153?dopt=Abstract

Endnote Keywords

Job Loss/Unemployment/health status

Endnote ID

20920

Alternate JournalHealth Econ
Citation Key7355
PubMed ID19634153