Utilization of medical services by transferred employees. Differential effect of life change on health

Some of the health consequences of being transferred to a new job and a new community were examined. The medical records of transferred employees for one year following transfer were compared to the records of a matched control group of more permanently located employees. Because of the authors' clinical observation that an employee's job description was related to the medical response to transfer, the professional and nonprofessional (production and clerical) employees were examined as separate groups. The results demonstrated a greater utilization of health services by transferred nonprofessional, but not by transferred professional employees. The results are discussed in the light of current research in life changes and their relationship to illness.