Both studies examined the health of members of the British Civil Service and showed a clear decline in health with each decrease in job grade. Marmot also worked on the Acheson report, issued in 1998, which made 39 recommendations to the British government on how to reduce the social inequalities that impact health. Marmot centered his talk on 10 public health messages he was asked to draft for the World Health Organization for eventual use in a public health advertising campaign. Marmot's own results show the same pattern in civil servants. A high correlation has been demonstrated between a worker's sense of control over his or her job and the prevalence of heart disease among those workers.
Job security increases health and well-being.
A 1990 study of men in Finland showed highest mortality among those who were unemployed for more than 12 months. Studies of mortality by marital status shows that married people live longer than unmarried people. The use and abuse of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco are influenced by social status, with higher usage among those on society's lower rungs. People who do use and abuse drugs, alcohol, and tobacco suffer because of it. The poor tend to eat lower-quality foods and foods higher in salt, which has been linked to high blood pressure.