• C Pockrandt, B Coder, K Lau, B Hartmann, U John, and J Freyer-Adam.
• Institut für Epidemiologie und Sozialmedizin, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald, Greifswald.
• Gesundheitswesen. 2007 Nov 1; 69 (11): 628-34.

AimThe purpose of this study was to investigate the distribution of health behaviours and health-risk behaviours among three groups of job-seeking persons at employment agencies: short-term unemployed, long-term unemployed, and non-unemployed (e.g., threatened by job loss) persons. A related aim was to identify the general willingness of persons recruited at employment agencies to participate in a study regarding health behaviours.MethodAt the employment agency Greifswald (Western Pomerania, Germany), over a period of two weeks, all job-seeking persons while waiting were personally asked to participate in a screening regarding health behaviours.ResultsA total of 1672 persons (M=34 years, 54% women), that is 74.3% of all job-seekers, participated in the screening. Regarding physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake, smoking, at-risk drinking, drug use and overweight, all three groups showed a lack of health behaviour and increased risky behaviour compared to the general population or nation-wide guidelines. ANOVAs, chi (2) tests and logistic regressions showed significant differences among the three groups. Non-unemployed persons were more likely to report a healthier life style compared to both unemployed groups. Long-term unemployed persons had a higher risk of smoking (OR=1.56; CI 95%=1.14-2.12) and of using drugs (OR=2.79; CI 95%=1.30-5.98) compared to short-term unemployed persons.ConclusionsThe high participation rate, along with the high rates of risky behaviour and lack of health behaviour indicate the demand for intervention programs for job-seekers and the opportunity of using this setting for proactive interventions that could reach more than 70% of all job-seekers.

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