ABSTRACT
It has long been recognised that work provides important benefits, including a sense of personal worth, connection to a social community and structure to the day (Jahoda, 1982). This is also the case for people with common health conditions (Waddell and Burton, 2006). The negative impact of job loss is also well documented (see Vinokur and Price, 2015). Of the negative mental health consequences of unemployment, depressive symptoms are widely documented but these also commonly include stress reactions, anxiety and lowered self-esteem (see Price et al., 2002). Recent research has strengthened a causal link between unemployment and decline in both psychological and physical health and increased risk of suicide (see Wanberg, 2012). For those with common health conditions, there is a strong association between worklessness and ill-health, manifested in higher mortality, poorer general health and poorer mental health and strong evidence to support the restorative effect of re-employment (Waddell and Burton, 2006). As such, it is concluded that the benefits of work outweigh the risks.
