While much is known about the impact of social and economic factors on people’s health, relatively little is understood about the impact of individuals’ health on society and the economy.
The Health Foundation’s Social and Economic Value of Health programme is designed to investigate this impact.
The project from the Department of Economics aims to estimate whether health directly affects employment, hours of work, wages and absenteeism.
It will also explore how differences (for example gender, age, job type and household composition) can affect the relationship between health and work outcomes.
The research will inform policy aimed at reducing the ‘disability employment gap’.
Jennifer Roberts, Professor of Economics and Project Lead, said: “This research will aim to establish the extent to which our health is a key factor in our ability not just to get a job, but to get ‘good work’ and achieve an adequate reward. This is an issue where there is currently little evidence.
“Chronic health problems are increasing among people of working age and this has major implications for their chances of gaining (and keeping) employment, and of being adequately rewarded for their work.
We want to inform policy in this area to mitigate the effects of health problems on the labour market, and to improve outcomes for individuals, firms and society as a whole.”
Jo Bibby, Director of Strategy at the Health Foundation, said: “Our wellbeing and health affects every aspect of our lives, from our work to our family and social life. A healthy population is necessary for a flourishing society.
“Through this work we want to demonstrate the value that good health contributes to an individual’s social and economic outcomes, in order to encourage greater investment in strategies that maintain people’s health throughout their lives.”