Journal of epidemiology and community health
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J Epidemiol Community Health · Nov 2015
The influence of chronic health problems and work-related factors on loss of paid employment among older workers.
With an ageing society and increasing retirement ages, it is important to understand how employability can be promoted in older workers with health problems. The current study aimed to determine whether (1) different chronic health problems predict transitions from paid employment to disability benefits, unemployment and early retirement, and (2) how work-related factors modify these associations. ⋯ All health problems affected disability benefits to a similar extent, but psychological health problems especially predicted unemployment and early retirement. For older workers with health problems, promoting an optimal work environment has the potential to contribute to sustainable employment.
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J Epidemiol Community Health · Nov 2015
Do macroeconomic contractions induce or 'harvest' suicides? A test of competing hypotheses.
Researchers often invoke a mortality displacement or 'harvesting' mechanism to explain mortality patterns, such that those with underlying health vulnerabilities die sooner than expected in response to environmental phenomena, such as heat waves, cold spells and air pollution. It is unclear if this displacement mechanism might also explain observed increases in suicide following economic contraction, or if suicides are induced in persons otherwise unlikely to engage in self-destructive behaviour. Here, we test two competing hypotheses explaining an observed increase in suicides following unemployment-induction or displacement. ⋯ Displacement and induction both appear to have operated following unexpected labour market contractions in Sweden, though with different population segments.