title: Is the health of young unemployed Australians worse in times of low unemployment?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the health of young unemployed Australians during a period of low unemployment (April 2007: rate 4.4%) against published Australian norms for 18-24 year olds and unemployed people during a time of higher unemployment (February 1995 to January 1996: rate 8.1% to 8.9%).
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and fifty-one unemployed 18-25 year olds residing in New South Wales completed the SF36 Health Survey version 2 (SF36v2) during a time of low unemployment. SF36v2 subscale and component summary scores were compared with published norms for 18-24 year olds and for unemployed persons during a time of higher unemployment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Young unemployed people during a period of low unemployment reported poorer health in all areas when compared with age-matched norms and poorer psychological health when compared with the published norms for unemployed people from a time when unemployment rates were higher.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The health of young unemployed individuals during a time of low unemployment was poor when compared to both the general population and to unemployed people during a time of higher unemployment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Public health interventions must focus on improving the health of young unemployed people to support their engagement with and contribution to Australian society.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. jsca9701@mail.usyd.edu.au
authors.forename: Justin Newton
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Scanlan
authors.forename: Anita C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Bundy
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D014478:Unemployment / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult