Boomers Who Lose Their Jobs Double Their MI and Stroke Risk

A 10-year study of baby boomer-aged men and women has yielded an important result. Of the 4300 enrollees, 582 lost their jobs during the 10 years. There were 202 heart attacks and 140 strokes. After adjusting for differences due to age, gender, income, and race, it was found that job losers had more than twice the risk of an MI compared with those still employed. And the risk of stroke was also doubled. Results were similar in men and women.

The researchers point out that the study relied on self-reports of heart attack and stroke, which may not have been fully accurate. Nevertheless, the findings are sufficiently clear-cut that there are remedies to be sought. Physicians and their patients in this age group should be alert for cardiovascular risk factors and address them; employers should be aware of the potential damage to health they may be responsible for, however indirectly; and policy-makers should find ways of returning jobless boomers to work as soon as reasonably possible.