Unemployment

Data is from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS). The table is part of a series of indicators in the Healthy Communities Data and Indicators Project of the Office of Health Equity.

Unemployment is associated with higher rates of self-reported poor health, long-term illnesses, higher incidence of risky health behaviors (alcoholism, smoking), and increased mortality. Various explanations have been proposed for the link between poor health and unemployment; for example, economic deprivation that results in reduced access to essential goods and services. Another explanation is that unemployment causes the loss of latent functions (social contact, social status, time structure and personal identity) which can result in stigma, isolation and loss of self-worth.