HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT

Background: Youth unemployment is of increasing importance, not only a s a social but also as a clinical problem. Methods: A prospective stud y was conducted during a five-year period in a municipality in the nor thern part of Sweden, where the youth unemployment rate was between 6% and 8%. All 1,083 pupils in the last year of compulsory schooling wer e included in the study and 98% of them were followed up after five ye ars. The methods of investigation consisted of comprehensive self-admi nistered questionnaires as well as blood pressure measurements and int erviews with those who had been unemployed. Results: The main results of the study are that there is a greater increase in physical and psyc hological symptoms as well as smoking habits and use of cannabis among long-term unemployed young people than among those not long-term unem ployed. In addition systolic blood pressure, alcohol consumption and c rime rate increase more among long-term unemployed boys than among oth ers. Conclusions: Youth unemployment is associated with increased heal th symptoms, increased systolic blood pressure and a deterioration in health behaviour.