Excess mortality of unemployed men and women during a period of rapidly increasing unemployment

Found that individuals who experienced unemployment between 1987 and 1992 had greater mortality than those in employment after control for age, education, occupational class, and marital status. However, as the general unemployment rate increases, the association between unemployment and mortality weakens. Studies conducted when the unemployment rate is low may thus overestimate the effect of unemployment on mortality because of unaccounted confounding. (Original abstract-amended)