Young adults, mortality, and employment.
OBJECTIVE
This study assessed the relationship between employment status and mortality over a 2-year period among a nationally representative sample of young adults aged 18 to 24 years (n = 121,478, representing more than 21 million US young adults).


METHODS
By using data from the 1986-2000 National Health Interview Survey and its public-use mortality follow-up through 2002, mortality after 2-year follow-up (for each individual) was regressed on employment status at baseline, controlling for gender, race, education, season, and survey design.


RESULTS
Having been employed was associated with significantly lower risks of all-cause, homicide, and "other-cause" mortality (adjusted odds ratios range: 0.51 to 0.60).


CONCLUSIONS
Working appears to be a factor that may prevent premature mortality among young adults; increasing unemployment may result in increased mortality risks among young adults in the future.
Davila
Evelyn P
EP
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
Christ
Sharon L
SL
Caban-Martinez
Alberto J
AJ
Lee
David J
DJ
Arheart
Kristopher L
KL
LeBlanc
William G
WG
McCollister
Kathryn E
KE
Clarke
Tainya
T
Zimmerman
Frederick
F
Goodman
Elizabeth
E
Muntaner
Carles
C
Fleming
Lora E
LE
D000293:Adolescent; D002423:Cause of Death / Q000639:trends; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult