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The effect of self-employment on health: Evidence from longitudinal social security data

Author

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  • Judite Goncalves
  • Pedro S. Martins

Abstract

The growth of novel flexible work formats raises a number of questions about their effects upon health and the potential required changes in public policy. However, answering these questions is hampered by lack of suitable data. This is the first paper that draws on comprehensive longitudinal administrative data to examine the impact of self-employment in terms of health. It also considers an objective measure of health -hospital admissions- that is not subject to recall or other biases that may affect previous studies. Our findings, based on a representative sample of over 100,000 individuals followed monthly from 2005 to 2011 in Portugal, indicate that the likelihood of hospital admission of self-employed individuals is about half that of wage workers. This finding holds even when accounting for a potential self-selection of the healthy into self-employment. Similar results are found for mortality rates.

Suggested Citation

  • Judite Goncalves & Pedro S. Martins, 2018. "The effect of self-employment on health: Evidence from longitudinal social security data," Working Papers 88, Queen Mary, University of London, School of Business and Management, Centre for Globalisation Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:cgs:wpaper:88
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Pedro S. Martins, 2021. "30,000 Minimum Wages: The Economic Effects of Collective Bargaining Extensions," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 59(2), pages 335-369, June.
    2. Lutz Bellmann & Olaf Hübler, 2022. "Personality traits, working conditions and health: an empirical analysis based on the German Linked Personnel Panel, 2013–2017," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 283-318, February.
    3. Bellmann, Lutz & Hübler, Olaf, 2019. "Personal Attitudes, Job Characteristics and Health," IZA Discussion Papers 12597, IZA Network @ LISER.
    4. Olivier Torrès & Roy Thurik, 2019. "Small business owners and health," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 53(2), pages 311-321, August.
    5. Wanting Huang & Lei He & Hongxing Lan, 2022. "The Impact of Self-Employment on the Health of Migrant Workers: Evidence from China Migrants Dynamic Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-19, May.
    6. Sarah Nurain Mohd Noh & Suhana Jawahir & Yeung R’ong Tan & Iqbal Ab Rahim & Ee Hong Tan, 2022. "The Health-Seeking Behavior among Malaysian Adults in Urban and Rural Areas Who Reported Sickness: Findings from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2019," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-17, March.
    7. Gerrie‐Cor Herber & Maarten Schipper & Marc Koopmanschap & Karin Proper & Fons van der Lucht & Hendriek Boshuizen & Johan Polder & Ellen Uiters, 2020. "Health expenditure of employees versus self‐employed individuals; a 5 year study," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(12), pages 1606-1619, December.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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