Unemployment and Self-Assessed Health: Evidence from Panel Data

HECER Discussion Paper No. 148

43 Pages Posted: 13 Feb 2007

See all articles by Petri Bockerman

Petri Bockerman

Labour Institute for Economic Research; University of Turku - Turku School of Economics

Pekka Ilmakunnas

Aalto University School of Business

Date Written: February 12, 2007

Abstract

We analyse the relationship between unemployment and self-assessed health using the European Community Household Panel (ECHP) for Finland over the period 1996-2001. Our results reveal that the event of becoming unemployed does not matter as such for self-assessed health. The health status of those that end up being unemployed is lower than that of the continually employed. Hence, persons who have poor health are being selected for the pool of the unemployed. This explains why, in a cross-section, unemployment is associated with poor self-assessed health. However, we are somewhat more likely to obtain the negative effects of unemployment on health when long-term unemployment is used as the measure of unemployment experience.

Keywords: health, subjective well-being, unemployment

JEL Classification: I10, J28

Suggested Citation

Bockerman, Petri and Bockerman, Petri and Ilmakunnas, Pekka, Unemployment and Self-Assessed Health: Evidence from Panel Data (February 12, 2007). HECER Discussion Paper No. 148, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=962834 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.962834

Petri Bockerman (Contact Author)

Labour Institute for Economic Research ( email )

FIN-00530 Helsinki
Finland
+358 9 2535 7332 (Phone)
+358 9 2535 7332 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.petribockerman.fi/

University of Turku - Turku School of Economics ( email )

Rehtorinpellonkatu 3
TURKU, FI-20500
Finland

Pekka Ilmakunnas

Aalto University School of Business ( email )

PO Box 21240
FI-00076 Aalto, Helsinki
Finland
+358 40 5815390 (Phone)

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