Job Loss from Poor Health, Smoking, and Obesity in France
Author Information
Author(s): Florence Jusot, Marie Khlat, Thierry Rochereau, Christophe Serme
Primary Institution: Institut de Recherche et Documentation en Economie de la Santé (IRDES)
Hypothesis
What roles do health and health-related behaviors play as precursors of unemployment?
Conclusion
Poor health, obesity in women, and heavy smoking in men are significant precursors of unemployment.
Supporting Evidence
- Obesity was a significant precursor of unemployment in women.
- Heavy smoking was a significant precursor of unemployment in men.
- Non-optimal self-rated health was associated with increased unemployment risk for both genders.
Takeaway
If people are not feeling well, or if they smoke a lot or are obese, they might lose their jobs. This is especially true for women with obesity and men who smoke heavily.
Methodology
The study analyzed data from a multi-round nationally representative health survey in France, focusing on employees aged 30-54 and using logistic regression to assess the impact of health factors on unemployment.
Potential Biases
Potential attrition bias due to heavy smokers and unemployed individuals being less likely to be followed up.
Limitations
The study lacked information on events during the 4-year period between surveys and had a relatively low follow-up rate of about 55%.
Participant Demographics
Participants were salaried employees in the private sector aged 30-54 years.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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