Is Work Beneficial to Good Health?

Abstract

Unemployment and insecurity at work are a source of stress and may create a threat to individual physical and psychological health. The purpose of this study was to examine the connection between personal, functional, and professional variables and reports of how the health of hospital patients is impacted by financial status in Israel. One hundred and forty three hospitalized patients completed demographic, health-functional, and financial status questionnaires. Of the respondents, 32.9% reported a correlation between financial status and health. Significant connections were found between family status, lack of work, a change in partner's employment status, job insecurity, and financial commitments and reports of a correlation between financial status and health. The multivariate model predicting reports of a correlation between financial status and health was statistically significant. Discussion and implications focus on the need to create special preparation among health care professionals, in the community and in hospitals, to identify and treat people suffering from financial stress.