Job insecurity more dangerous to health than losing a job

Job insecurity more dangerous to health than losing a jobRecent study has revealed that constant threat of losing a job is taking a toll over the health of the workers. Health of people in United States is more affected by the looming threat of unemployment rather than being actually jobless.

Sociologist Sarah Burgard and James House of the University of Michigan and Jennie Brand at the University of California, Los Angeles, analyzed data collected on 1,700 adults during studies conducted between 1986 and 1989 and from 1995 and 2005.

Some of the study subjects have been through different phases like job insecurity, losing a job and then getting a job again. Hence through interviewing these people the researchers were able to find connection between poor health and job insecurity.

The study subjects were asked question related to their job likes chances of losing or retaining the job in next couple of years. Study subjects were also asked to rate their overall health.

Data analysis showed that persistent job insecurity has a negative impact on worker’s health. The study also showed that at any given point of time nearly 18 percent people felt insecure about their jobs.  

Burgard said: "We definitely found that persistent job insecurity had a stronger impact on health decline than those job losses. This is among people who managed to get back in."