Job-loss and health — the influence of age and previous morbidity

Abstract

Analysis of data on morbidity in a group of factory workers shows a significant increase when these workers are threatened with and subsequently made redundant. The influence of increasing age and of low prior morbidity are shown to be detrimental to the health of both male and female employees. When these risk factors are combined these employees show a 150% increase in the number of consultations, a 70% increase in the number of episodes of illness, a 160% increase in the number of referrals to hospital outpatient departments and a 200% increase in the number of attendances at outpatient departments.

These changes occur two years before actual job-loss when the workers learn that their employee is in financial difficulty and their jobs are in jeopardy.

It is suggested that older employees demonstrate greater stress because of their poor re-employment prospects and reduced adaptability. It is also suggested that existing differences in consulting tendency might represent differing levels of work attachment among the employees — the low consulters being most strongly oriented towards their jobs and therefore suffering the greater loss when made redundant.