Health and re-employment in a five-year follow-up of long-term unemployed

Objectives: To study health and re-employment in a five-year follow-up of a community sample of long-term unemployed people. Methods: A random sample registered for more than 12 weeks at the labour offices in Grenland, Norway , were given medical check-ups in 1988 and 1990, and a postal questionnaire in 1993. Results: Only 37% were employed five years after the first spell of long-term unemployment. Recovery after re-employment was demonstrated, i ndicating that unemployment causes poor mental health. Health-related selec tion to continuous unemployment was only found for medical diagnoses. The u nemployed who might be selected to continuous unemployment because of poor health at the two-year follow-up seemed to deteriorate most. Conclusion: Th e high morbidity of mental health problems among unemployed people is mostl y explained by the causal hypothesis. This is a challenge to preventive med icine. Sick unemployed people should be given special attention.