Predictors and consequences of unemployment among construction workers: prospective cohort study

Abstract Objective: To study predictors and consequences of unemployment. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: 11 construction companies in southern Finland. Participants: 586 male employees, aged 40-59 years at baseline in 1991 and not retired during a 4 year follow up. Main outcome measures: Long term unemployment, stress symptoms, disease, alcohol consumption, exercise activity, and body mass index. Results: In a multiple logistic regression model, long term unemployment (>24 months v ≤24 months) was predicted by age 50-54 years v 40-44 years (odds ratio 2.0, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 3.7), ≤3 years' employment in the present job (3.1, 1.9 to 5.1), previous unemployment (2.1, 1.2 to 3.8), being single (1.8, 1.1 to 3.1), current smoking (2.6, 1.4 to 4.7), high alcohol consumption (2.1, 1.1 to 4.3), body mass index