Unemployment and mortality among Finnish men, 1981-5 . During the study period 1981-5, which covered almost 2.7 million person years, there were 9810 deaths. Selection for unemployment based on age, socioeconomic state, and marital state was evident but no such selection was detected based on health. Effects of unemployment on mortality were more pronounced with increasing duration of unemployment. The relative excess mortality of unemployed men in Finland cannot fully be explained by demographic, social, and health variables preceding unemployment.
Unemployment therefore seems to have an independent causal effect on male mortality.
Unemployment and mortality in Denmark, 1970-80 . Analysis of five main causes of death showed increased mortality from all causes, but especially from suicide or accidents. In areas where the local unemployment rate was comparatively high the relative mortality among the unemployed was lower. The pattern of mortality shortly after both censuses suggests that sick unemployed men were not categorised as seeking work, and it is concluded that for both samples the mortality of those who were reported to be seeking work was raised for reasons other than initial poor health.