Affiliations: Discipline of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health
Science, University of Sydney, Australia
Note: [] Address for correspondence: J.N. Scanlan, Discipline of
Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences C42, University of Sydney, PO
Box 170, Lidcombe, NSW 1825, Australia. Tel.: +61 2 9351 9396; Fax: +61 2 9351
9197; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: This review explores the literature on the concept of work in
unemployment and its relationship to health. A range of literature about the
activities of unemployed people is reviewed and discussed with reference to
three questions: What do unemployed people do?, What activities are
associated with the health of unemployed people? and Do unemployed people
work? From the literature, two groups of unemployed people are described:
those who are characterised by active patterns of activity and those
characterised by passive patterns. It is argued that the active group is
psychologically healthier than the passive group. Concepts of work in both
groups of unemployed individuals are presented, arguing that the active group
seeks to replace employment with other work activities and that the passive
group are engaged in work also, but that this presents as fret and
preoccupation about their situation. These concepts of work are presented in
the context of three major theoretical models of the personal impact of
unemployment. Finally, implications for practice and directions for future
research are suggested.
