[A sickness called unemployment: a long-term unemployment. Association of Community Development (ACD)]

The general objective of this investigation is to know the possible consequences of long-term unemployment on the family and social environment, as well as the mechanisms which lead to the appearance of health problems among long-term unemployed people.

The subjects of this study were long-term unemployed people of 35 to 55 years of age of the municipal term of Madrid, with families depending on them. This is a qualitative-intensive investigation, with special emphasis on the individual, social, sanitary and economical aspects. The instrument of common measurement was the combination of the discussion group integrated by five people, during approximately 120 minutes, with focused and individual interviews (48) over a semistructured script, during approximately 60 minutes, using recording instruments (audio tape).

During the development of the discussion group a worsening of the psychological health and family situation was observed as a consequence of remaining unemployed. In the more thorough interviews we could detect clear differences according to the impact of unemployment on health depending on the low socioeconomical area, women and older unemployed people.

The effects of unemployment on health cannot be isolated from other underlying bad social and economical conditions, that is to say, from social, economical, educative inequalities, etc., previous to the unemployment situation.