Effect of Job Loss Due to Plant Closure on Mortality and Hospitalization

We investigate whether job loss due to plant closure causes an increased risk of (cause-specific) mortality and hospitalization for male workers having strong labour market attachment. We use administrative data: a panel of all persons in Denmark in the period 1980-2006, containing records on health and work status, and a link from workers to plants. We use propensity score weighting combined with non-parametric duration analysis. We find that job loss increases the risk of overall mortality and mortality caused by circulatory disease; of suicide and suicide attempts; and of death and hospitalization due to traffic accidents, alcohol-related disease, and mental illness.