MORBIDITY AMONG UNEMPLOYED AND WORK-INCAPACITATED MEN IN THE NETHERLANDS

As yet, the relationship between unemployment and physical health has not sufficiently been clarified. With a longitudinal approach a repres entative Dutch panel study and a study on a health center population w ere carried out. They involved work-incapacitated and unemployed men b etween 21 and 65 years of age. Men incapacitated for work were in poor er health than matched working men; the same was true in a three-year follow-up. Unemployed and working men were shown to be equally healthy . The physical health of the incapacitated men decreased with time but that of the unemployed men did not. This finding implies that unemplo yment per se does not lead to poorer health. Differences in social sec urity systems seem to interfere with an international comparison of th e consequences of unemployment on health. International research shoul d distinguish more explicitly between those who are unemployed for eco nomic reasons or incapacitated for work for medical reasons.