Long-term jobless at risk from ill health, suicide


PEOPLE unemployed for more than six months are six times more likely to commit suicide and are more likely to have serious health problems, including heart disease, respiratory illnesses and poor mental health.

Recent research based on 20 years of international study says having a job is generally good for your health, a WorkCover SA conference will be told tomorrow.

Environmental medicine consultant Dr Mary Wyatt said being out of work was a major issue for health.
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Dr Wyatt, who will co-launch the Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine's position statement on the issue, said work provided a structure that allowed people to socialise and be active and reduced the chance to smoke or drink too much.

People who work are also wealthier, another important social factor in better health.

She said the research showed that the health risks of long-term unemployment were akin to smoking 10 packs of cigarettes a day, and young men were at particular risk, with suicide rates 40 times higher than usual for those out of work for more than six months.

Return-to-work rates were declining, Dr Wyatt said. Australian research showed that of injured employees off work for 70 days, barely a third returned to work.

Centrelink figures show that long-term unemployment is at its highest level since early 2003.

For help or information visit beyondblue.org.au, call Suicide Helpline Victoria on 1300 651 251, or Lifeline on 131 114.

no, there are not the jobs out there.
~6 ppl for every viable job.
always been that way.
giant govt cover-up.
then, of course, you have Centrelink and it's case managers, work4dole schemes and
dodgy "employment services" that do nothing to help.
these are the more likely reason behind the ill-health and suicides, mentioned.
thanks,
j.

Apply for a few jobs is a good idea.  Now let me see, oh yes that's right.  People have to go live in India or China for that.  After all that's were the jobs are.

Why do you assume I am unemployed?.

I wont answer personal information about myself.  Having said that though I would say there could be a number of reasons, why people could have trouble finding work.  I for one do not believe the government unemployment numbers, I think it is much higher than what we are told.  I would say probably the unemployment number, by a factor of around three time what they tell us.  So around about 15 per cent or so would be more realistic.  Secondly I really think that unfortunately, we just simply don't have the jobs available that we used to.  After all so many of our jobs have been lost, to overseas cheap labor countries.  Some people that are out of work for a long time, have trouble getting back into the work force.  The longer a person is out, and the harder it becomes.  Some employers don't like long term unemployed.  There is no one size fits all, when it comes to unemployment.  Some people can develop medical problems.  Quite often if a person had a medical problem. and they told a employer the truth about it, they would probably not get the job.  Other things like discrimination can, and sometimes do come into it.  This can be several things, such as the age of an employee.  Other things like marital status can have a bearing.  Distance to where a job is.  What is a fair and reasonable distance to travel to work.  If a person lives to far away, some employers will not give them a go.  If a person does not have there own transport.  How many tines does an employer ask an employee, if they have a car.  There is as I have said, no one size fits all rule for everyone, but never the less for a lot of people it is certainly not easy.            

Aussie wrote on Sep 16^th, 2010 at 9:39pm:


IMFULLOFIT is 'intersted' in employment but not in actually being employed. Havnt you noticed how 95% of his posts are on unemplyment themes. and he is on record as saying he is unemployed and has not yet decided if he is ever going to work. AS IF THAT'S A CHOICE!

lazy bugger. The dole is low for the unemployed but for you it is way too high.