Health risk factors and self-rated health among job-seekers.

Jennis Freyer-Adam,Beate Gaertner,Stefanie Tobschall,Ulrich John

doi:10.1186/1471-2458-11-659

Abstract

BackgroundTo determine a) proportions of behavior related health risk factors among job-seekers and b) to what extend these are related to self-rated health.MethodsOver 12 months, job-seekers were recruited at three job-agencies in northeastern Germany. Among all individuals eligible for study inclusion, 7,906 (79.8%) provided information on smoking, risky drinking, overweight/obesity (body mass index), fruit and vegetable intake, physical inactivity, illicit drug use, and self-rated health. Proportions and 95% confidence intervals stratified by gender, age and duration of unemployment were calculated. Multivariate logistic regression analyses predicting self-rated health were conducted.ResultsThe proportions of each health-risk factor were high, and 52.4% of the sample (53.4% male, 33.5 years mean age) had 3 or more health risk factors. Mostly, the proportions were particularly high among men and long-term unemployed individuals; e.g. 84.8% of the 18-24 year old long-term unemployed men were current smokers. Proportions of substance use related health risk factors were highest among the 18-24 year olds (e.g. risky drinking 28.7%), and proportions of health risk factors related to nutrition and physical inactivity were highest among the 40-64 year olds (e.g. overweight/obesity 65.4%). Depending on gender, all health risk factors and having 3 or more health risk factors were associated with lower self-rated health; odd ratios ranged between 1.2 for smoking (95% CI: 1.0-1.3) and 1.7 for overweight and physical inactivity (95% CI: 1.5-1.9).ConclusionsPrevention efforts to reduce health risk factors and to increase health among job-seekers are needed, and job agencies appear a feasible setting for their implementation.

Highlights

To determine a) proportions of behavior related health risk factors among job-seekers and b) to what extend these are related to self-rated health
Most studies investigating health risk behaviors and self-rated health of unemployed individuals have derived their data from general population surveys, and may be biased by low response rates
Smoking proportions were lowest among the 40-64 year olds (47.2%) and highest among the 18-24 year olds (64.9%)

Summary

Introduction

To determine a) proportions of behavior related health risk factors among job-seekers and b) to what extend these are related to self-rated health. E.g. in Germany 23% of the unemployed and 11% of the employed individuals describe their health as fair or poor; unemployed. Most studies investigating health risk behaviors and self-rated health of unemployed individuals have derived their data from general population surveys, and may be biased by low response rates. For the determination of health risk behaviors among job-seekers, it may be promising to contact job-seekers at job agencies where all job-seekers from a defined area may be reached. Few studies have used such an approach, and these suggest that most individuals contacted at job-agencies are willing to give information on their health risk behaviors and to receive a minimal intervention [6,7]

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