Self-reported health versus biomarkers: does unemployment lead to worse health?

• Published in: Public health (London) Vol. 179; pp. 127 - 134
• Main Authors: Johansson, E., Böckerman, P., Lundqvist, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2020; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Biological markers; Biomarkers; Biometrics; C-reactive protein; Glucose; Health status; Hypertension; Panel data; Protein structure; Selection bias; Self-assessed health; Unemployment; Biomarkers; Self-assessed health; Unemployment
• ISSN: 0033-3506; 1476-5616
• DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2019.10.005

This paper examines the relationship between unemployment and health using both subjective and biometric information on health status. Longitudinal panel data. We compare the results of regressions of unemployment on self-reported health with those of regressions of unemployment on health as measured with biomarkers (hypertension and levels of blood glucose and C-reactive protein). Using the panel structure of our data, we account for selection bias with respect to unemployment by controlling for health before exposure to unemployment. We observe a striking pattern. Using self-reported health as the outcome variable, we find a link between unemployment and worse health. By contrast, we are unable to establish the same link using biometric information on health. In conclusion, our results indicate a substantial discrepancy between self-reported health and health as measured by biomarkers. •Unemployment was linked to worse self-reported health.•Unemployment was not linked to worse health measured with biometric information.•Individuals with worse health were more likely to become unemployed.