Skip to main content
PMC home page
The BMJ logoLink to The BMJ
. 1995 Nov 11;311(7015):1264–1269. doi: 10.1136/bmj.311.7015.1264

Health effects of anticipation of job change and non-employment: longitudinal data from the Whitehall II study.

J E Ferrie 1, M J Shipley 1, M G Marmot 1, S Stansfeld 1, G D Smith 1
PMCID: PMC2551182  PMID: 7496235

Abstract

OBJECTIVE--To assess the effect of anticipating job change or non-employment on self reported health status in a group of middle aged male and female white collar civil servants. DESIGN--Longitudinal cohort study (Whitehall II study). Questionnaire data on self reported health status and health behaviour were obtained at initial screening and four years later, during the period when employees of the department facing privatisation were anticipating job change or job loss. SETTING--London based office staff in 20 civil service departments. SUBJECTS--666 members of one department threatened with early privatisation were compared with members of the 19 other departments. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Self reported health status measures and health related behaviours, before and during anticipation of privatisation. RESULTS--In comparison to the remainder of the cohort, the profile of health related behaviours of cohort members who faced privatisation was more favourable, both before and during anticipation of privatisation. There were no significant differences in the changes in health behaviours between cohort members moving into a period of job insecurity and the remainder of the cohort. Self reported health status, however, tended to deteriorate among employees anticipating privatisation when compared with that of the rest of the cohort. CONCLUSIONS--The application of a longitudinal design, allowing the same individuals to be followed from job security into anticipation, provides more robust evidence than has previously been available that anticipation of job loss affects health even before employment status has changed.

Full text

PDF
1264

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Beale N., Nethercott S. Job-loss and family morbidity: a study of a factory closure. J R Coll Gen Pract. 1985 Nov;35(280):510–514. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Beale N., Nethercott S. [The health of industrial employees four years after compulsory redundancy]. J R Coll Gen Pract. 1987 Sep;37(302):390–394. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Cain K. C., Kronmal R. A., Kosinski A. S. Analysing the relationship between change in a risk factor and risk of disease. Stat Med. 1992 Apr;11(6):783–797. doi: 10.1002/sim.4780110609. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. D'Arcy C., Siddique C. M. Unemployment and health: an analysis of "Canada Health Survey" data. Int J Health Serv. 1985;15(4):609–635. doi: 10.2190/0Q1G-RJG7-DPR9-V6XN. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Glynn R. J., Rosner B., Silbert J. E. Changes in cholesterol and triglyceride as predictors of ischemic heart disease in men. Circulation. 1982 Oct;66(4):724–731. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.66.4.724. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Grayson J. P. Health, physical activity level, and employment status in Canada. Int J Health Serv. 1993;23(4):743–761. doi: 10.2190/W5NR-A7A4-BX4A-T4F7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Hamilton V. L., Broman C. L., Hoffman W. S., Renner D. S. Hard times and vulnerable people: initial effects of plant closing on autoworkers' mental health. J Health Soc Behav. 1990 Jun;31(2):123–140. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Marber M., Walker D., Yellon D. Ischaemic preconditioning. BMJ. 1994 Jan 1;308(6920):1–2. doi: 10.1136/bmj.308.6920.1. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Marmot M. G., Smith G. D., Stansfeld S., Patel C., North F., Head J., White I., Brunner E., Feeney A. Health inequalities among British civil servants: the Whitehall II study. Lancet. 1991 Jun 8;337(8754):1387–1393. doi: 10.1016/0140-6736(91)93068-k. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Mattiasson I., Lindgärde F., Nilsson J. A., Theorell T. Threat of unemployment and cardiovascular risk factors: longitudinal study of quality of sleep and serum cholesterol concentrations in men threatened with redundancy. BMJ. 1990 Sep 8;301(6750):461–466. doi: 10.1136/bmj.301.6750.461. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Morris J. K., Cook D. G. A critical review of the effect of factory closures on health. Br J Ind Med. 1991 Jan;48(1):1–8. doi: 10.1136/oem.48.1.1. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Moser K. A., Fox A. J., Jones D. R. Unemployment and mortality in the OPCS Longitudinal Study. Lancet. 1984 Dec 8;2(8415):1324–1329. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(84)90832-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Platt S., Kreitman N. Trends in parasuicide and unemployment among men in Edinburgh, 1968-82. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1984 Oct 20;289(6451):1029–1032. doi: 10.1136/bmj.289.6451.1029. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Stansfeld S. A., Marmot M. G. Social class and minor psychiatric disorder in British Civil Servants: a validated screening survey using the General Health Questionnaire. Psychol Med. 1992 Aug;22(3):739–749. doi: 10.1017/s0033291700038186. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from BMJ : British Medical Journal are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES