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International Journal of Public Health
Published in: International Journal of Public Health 9/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Original Article

The impact of low education and poor health on unemployment varies by work life stage

Authors: Sander K. R. van Zon, Sijmen A. Reijneveld, Carlos F. Mendes de Leon, Ute Bültmann

Published in: International Journal of Public Health | Issue 9/2017

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Abstract

Objectives

The aim of this study is to examine associations and interactions of education, and physical and mental health with unemployment in early, mid, and late work life.

Methods

This cross-sectional study uses data from 69,118 respondents from Lifelines. Health status was measured with the RAND-36, education was self-reported, and participants working <12 h per week or indicating to be unemployed were considered unemployed. The relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) was calculated to measure interaction on the additive scale.

Results

Interactions of low education and poor mental health were found in early [RERI: 2.14; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.63, 3.65], mid (1.41; 0.61, 2.20) and late (0.63; 0.09, 1.17) work life. Interaction between low education and poor physical health was only found in mid-work life (1.27; 0.61, 1.93).

Conclusions

Low education and poor physical and mental health exacerbate each other’s impact on unemployment varying by work life stage. Policies addressing unemployment may become more effective if they better account for the physical and mental health status of adults in certain stages of their work life.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
The impact of low education and poor health on unemployment varies by work life stage
Authors
Sander K. R. van Zon
Sijmen A. Reijneveld
Carlos F. Mendes de Leon
Ute Bültmann
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Published in
International Journal of Public Health / Issue 9/2017
Print ISSN: 1661-8556
Electronic ISSN: 1661-8564
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-017-0972-7

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