This study analyzes the association of unemployment and health using national and international research data. It is based on data from the 2010 and 2012 German Health Update (GEDA), conducted by the Robert Koch Institute. For our analysis, participants aged from 18 to 64 years were selected if they gave information on their unemployment experiences within the five years prior to the study (n = 31,955). The results show that the self-rated health of the unemployed in Germany is significantly worse compared to the workforce. Additionally, the unemployed suffer from medically diagnosed depression. The association of unemployment and health is more pronounced in men than in women for all major outcomes. When compared to workers of the same age, the unemployed smoke more frequently and do less sports. Regarding alcohol consumption, no systematic relationship was found. While the use of medical screening measures for the early detection of diseases is lower among the unemployed than among the employed, they visit general practitioners and hospitals more often than their counterparts. Overall, our findings suggest that unemployed people should remain an important target group of preventive measures in Germany and that the corresponding measures should be intensified.
Keywords: German Health Update (GEDA); Health behavior; Morbidity; Mortality; Unemployment.