Unemployment and early cause-specific mortality: a study based on the Swedish twin registry.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the association between unemployment and early cause-specific mortality to determine whether the relationship was modified by other risk indicators.


METHODS
Female and male twins (n=20632) were followed with regard to mortality from 1973 through 1996. Questionnaire data from 1973 were used to obtain information on experience of unemployment and on social, behavioral, health, and personality characteristics.


RESULTS
Unemployment was associated with an increased risk of suicide and death from undetermined causes. Low education, personality characteristics, use of sleeping pills or tranquilizers, and serious or long-lasting illness tended to strengthen the association between unemployment and early mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
An increased risk of death from external causes implies a need for support for those experiencing unemployment, particularly susceptible individuals.
Voss
Margaretha
M
Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Box 12718, SE-112 94 Stockholm, Sweden. margaretha.voss@cns.ki.se
Nylén
Lotta
L
Floderus
Birgitta
B
Diderichsen
Finn
F
Terry
Paul D
PD
D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality; D010551:Personality; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014478:Unemployment