The effect of job loss on health: Evidence from biomarkers

Pierre-Carl Michaud, Eileen M. Crimmins and Michael Hurd ()

Labour Economics, 2016, vol. 41, issue C, 194-203

Abstract: We estimate the effect of job loss on objective measures of physiological dysregulation using biomarker measures collected by the Health and Retirement Study in 2006 and 2008 and longitudinal self-reports of work status. We distinguish between group or individual layoffs, and business closures. Workers who are laid off from their job have lower health as measured by biomarker, whereas workers laid off in the context of a business closure do not. Estimates matching respondents wave-by-wave on self-reported health conditions and subjective job loss expectations prior to job loss, suggest strong effects of layoffs on biomarkers, in particular for glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). A layoff could increase annual mortality rates by 10.3%, consistent with other evidence of the effect of group layoffs on mortality.

Keywords: Job loss; Health; SES-health gradient; Biomarkers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I14 J10 J14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (38)

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Related works:
Working Paper: The Effect of Job Loss on Health: Evidence from Biomarkers (2015)
Working Paper: The Effect of Job Loss on Health: Evidence from Biomarkers (2014)
Working Paper: The Effect of Job Loss on Health: Evidence from Biomarkers (2014)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:labeco:v:41:y:2016:i:c:p:194-203

DOI: 10.1016/j.labeco.2016.05.014

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