There are complex associations between work and mental health. Self-efficacy, experience of own abilities and appropriate challenges are important prerequisites of mental health. Availability of these factors is specifically decreased in the elder long term unemployed and results in higher vulnerability for mental impairment.

Investigation on mental health of elder long term unemployed persons

To examine incidence of mental disorders in elder long term unemployed persons

Senior long term unemployed participants in a vocational reintegration program were examined. Clients were allocated by choice to the study by their placement officers. An extensive psychiatric examination including structured clinical interviews (SKID) and clinical and personality questionnaires (BDI, STAI, MSWS, SCL 90-R, SF36, AUDIT, FTNA) was performed with each subject.

90 subjects were included into the study so far and 42 completed the psychiatric examination. The mean age was 54.7 years and gender ratio was balanced. 94% were diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder and 80% were diagnosed with more than one disorder according to ICD-10. In particular, 78.6% of the subjects had depression, 40.5% anxiety disorders, 35.7% combined personality disorders, 26.2% posttraumatic disorders, 21.4% addiction disorders, 16.7% single personality disorders and 7.1% psychotic disorders.

A large proportion of the long term unemployed persons examined is affected by mental disorders. Along with the high incidence of depressive, anxiety and addiction disorders there was a considerable number of personality and specifically trauma-related disorders. Accordingly, personality disorders may be a risk factor for unemployment in elder people too.