Asthma risk linked to job loss fears
by IDReC
IDReC Principle Investigator Professor Jeroen Douwes is co-author on a recent paper that reports an association between perceived job insecurity and an increased risk of developing asthma. The paper, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, reports a 61% excess risk of asthma if the probability of job loss was greater than 50%.
The study included employment and health data for more than 7,000 people. The results were consistent with other epidemiological studies and the authors suggested that their results may provide an explanation for the increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms during the recent economic crisis in the UK.
Loerbroks A, Bosch JA, Douwes J, Angerer P, Li J. Job insecurity is associated with adult asthma in Germany during Europe’s recent economic crisis: a prospective cohort study. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, In Press. doi:10.1136/jech-2014-204274