TY - JOUR
T1 - Is unemployment and low income harmful to health?
T2 - Evidence from Britain
AU - Cooper, David J
AU - McCausland, W. D.
AU - Theodossiou, Ioannis
N1 - ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors thank Ian McAvinchey for helpful comments.
FUNDING
This work was financially supported by the European Commission under the Fifth Framework Programme “Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources” [grant number QLRT-2001-02292].
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - This study investigates how unemployment and income influence the length of time an individual remains in good health. This is a complex relationship since unemployment or low income deteriorates health but poor health can become a barrier to obtaining higher income or gaining re-employment. Data are from the British Household Panel Survey, using two measures of physical health: an index of mobility problems and a measure of self-assessed health. The results show that unemployment, low income and poor education adversely affect the time that people remain in good health. These results have important implications for public policy, particularly in an age of austerity when social protection mechanisms are under threat. In fact, the results suggest that to improve health and reduce health inequality, more investment needs to be directed at policies that enhance labour force participation, improve education and reduce income inequality.
AB - This study investigates how unemployment and income influence the length of time an individual remains in good health. This is a complex relationship since unemployment or low income deteriorates health but poor health can become a barrier to obtaining higher income or gaining re-employment. Data are from the British Household Panel Survey, using two measures of physical health: an index of mobility problems and a measure of self-assessed health. The results show that unemployment, low income and poor education adversely affect the time that people remain in good health. These results have important implications for public policy, particularly in an age of austerity when social protection mechanisms are under threat. In fact, the results suggest that to improve health and reduce health inequality, more investment needs to be directed at policies that enhance labour force participation, improve education and reduce income inequality.
KW - unemployment
KW - health
U2 - 10.1080/00346764.2014.986969
DO - 10.1080/00346764.2014.986969
M3 - Article
VL - 73
SP - 34
EP - 60
JO - Review of Social Economy
JF - Review of Social Economy
SN - 0034-6764
IS - 1
ER -
