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Influence of Health on Job-Search Behavior and Re-employment: The Role of Job-Search Cognitions and Coping Resources

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Abstract

Purpose To investigate the influence of poor health on job-search behavior and re-employment, and the mediating role of job-search cognitions and coping resources. Methods A prospective study was conducted among unemployed persons receiving social security benefits in the Netherlands (n = 510). Self-rated health, self-esteem, mastery, job-search cognitions, and the intention to search for a job were measured at baseline. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate determinants of job-search behavior during a follow-up period of 6 months. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to investigate the influence of health, job-search cognitions and coping resources on re-employment during a mean follow-up period of 23 months. Results Persons with poor health were less likely to search for paid employment (OR 0.58, 95 % CI 0.39–0.85) and were also less likely to find paid employment (HR 0.58, 95 % CI 0.39–0.89). Persons with a positive attitude toward job-search, high perceived social pressure to look for a job, high job-search self-efficacy and high job-search intention were more likely to search actively and also to actually find paid employment. Adjustment for job-search cognitions and coping reduced the influence of health on active search behavior by 50 % and on re-employment by 33 %. Conclusions Health-related differences in job-search behavior and re-employment can be partly explained by differences in coping, job-search attitude, self-efficacy, and subjective norms towards job-search behavior. Measures to reduce the negative impact of poor health on re-employment should address the interplay of health with job-search cognitions and coping resources.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    B. E. Carlier, M. Schuring, F. J. van Lenthe & A. Burdorf

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  1. B. E. Carlier
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  2. M. Schuring
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Carlier, B.E., Schuring, M., van Lenthe, F.J. et al. Influence of Health on Job-Search Behavior and Re-employment: The Role of Job-Search Cognitions and Coping Resources. J Occup Rehabil 24, 670–679 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-014-9499-4

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