Long-term unemployment and mortality in Sweden, 1980–1986

https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-9536(91)90343-BGet rights and content

Abstract

The mortality of a cohort of long-term unemployed men and women in Sweden (N = 28,846) was followed up during the period 1980–1986. Compared to a population of employed, the total mortality rate ratios (with 95% confidence limit) were 1.37 (1.22–1.53); for men 1.61 (1.42–1.84) and for women 1.14 (0.91–1.42). The young/middle-aged men had about four times higher relative mortality than all men. Suicide and alcohol-related deaths could not explain the excess mortality among these men.

It is discussed whether the high risks for young/middle-aged men could be an effect of mental disturbances due to unemployment followed by high psycho-social stress. The effect of employment status on social and psychological identity may be greater for men than for women, for whom there may be more compensatory factors.

References (35)

  • SCB, Statistika Centralbyrån

    Arbetskraftsundersökningen 1980–1983

    (1983)
    (1984)
  • M.H. Brenner

    Economic changes and heart disease mortality

    Am. J. publ. Hlth

    (1971)
  • M.H. Brenner

    Fetal, infant, and maternal mortality during periods of economic instability

    Int. J. Hlth Serv.

    (1974)
  • M.H. Brenner

    Estimating the Social Costs of National Economic Policy: Implications for Mental and Physical Health and Criminal Aggression

    (1976)
  • M.H. Brenner

    Mortality and the national economy: a review and the experience of England and Wales, 1936–1976

    Lancet

    (1979)
  • M.H. Brenner

    Mortality and economic instability: detailed analysis for Britain and comparative analyses for selected industrialized countries

    Int. J. Hlth Serv.

    (1983)
  • M.H. Brenner

    Economic instability, unemployment rates, behavioral risks, and mortality rates in Scotland, 1952–1983

    Int. J. Hlth Serv.

    (1987)
  • Cited by (56)

    • Mortgage debt as a moderator in the association between unemployment and health

      2014, Public Health
      Citation Excerpt :

      Previous studies have examined the association between unemployment and mental health and found that unemployment was associated with an increase in depressive symptoms and heavy drinking.6–11 Other studies have examined unemployment and mortality and documented that unemployment significantly increased mortality rates in the short-run.12–16 Studies that used self-rated health as an outcome found that job loss was positively associated with poorer overall self-rated health17 and negatively associated with health satisfaction.18

    • The length of unemployment predicts mortality, differently in men and women, and by cause of death: A six year mortality follow-up of the Swedish 1992-1996 recession

      2012, Social Science and Medicine
      Citation Excerpt :

      A Swedish cohort study that calculated gender and age adjusted mortality rate ratios found higher mortality for men who experienced long-term unemployment. Mortality rate ratios were particularly elevated among younger cohorts of men but not for unemployed women (Stefansson, 1991). A Canadian community level study suggested that a higher rate of community wide, long-term unemployment was associated with higher community level mortality and lower life expectancy (Safaei, 2008).

    • PATTERNS IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LIFE EXPECTANCY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LEVELS

      2021, Novel Perspectives in Economics of Personalized Medicine and Healthcare Systems
    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text