Comparing health and well-being of the unemployed and job insecure employees: A systematic literature review

This study investigates whether (and to what extent) there are differences in health and well-being between the unemployed and employees with job insecurity. An examination of theories results in two views: some theories predict unemployment to be more detrimental, whereas others predict both phenomena to be equally problematic for health and well-being. The aim of this study is to examine and compare both views. This study contributes to the validation of theories (theoretical relevance) and helps determine whether policy needs to prioritize one of either phenomena (practical relevance). This systematic literature review reports on ten articles that directly compared the well-being and/or health of the unemployed with the well-being and/or health of job insecure employees. The results suggest that the mental, physical, and behavioral health and well-being reactions of both groups are similar. Only a minority of studies pointed to differences, some suggesting that the unemployed are worse off, and some that those with job insecurity are worse off. Hence, the results are mainly in line with theories that predict unemployment to be equally problematic as job insecurity, because both threaten or reduce resources. We conclude that it is equally important to reduce unemployment and its consequences as it is to reduce job insecurity and its consequences, and we suggest ways to do so.