A longitudinal analysis of health effects of NEET experiences in Scotland, 2001-2011
Feng, Z., Everington, D., Ralston, K. & Dibben, C. (2015) 2015 Census Conference 'Census Applications: Using the UK’s population census data', Univ of Manchester, UK, 16 - 17 July 2015 [SLS]
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Abstract:
This paper investigates whether experiences of young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) are associated with adverse long-term outcomes in health. We used the Scottish Longitudinal Study (SLS), which collates information from the 1991, 2001, and 2011 censuses as well as from vital events, for a 5.3% representative sample of the Scottish population. Linked health data such as hospital admissions and prescribing in general practice are also available. We followed around 10,000 young people who were aged 16-19 in 2001 up to 2011. We explored whether NEET young people in 2001 displayed higher risks of poor physical and mental health in the follow-up period. Poor physical health is measured by less than good health, and limiting long term illness from the 2011 census and poor mental health is measured by prescription of anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medicine. We used descriptive and modelling approaches in our analysis.
Covariates include a number of individual socioeconomic characteristics and local area characteristics in the models. Our research found that around 6% of the cohort members have reported less than good health, and 7% reported limiting long term illness, while around 30% have been prescribed with anti-depressant and anti-anxiety drugs. The NEET status in 2001 appears to be associated with poor general health and limiting long term illness: young NEET people were over 50% more likely to report poor health and limiting long term illness. Also the NEET experiences are associated with poor mental health with the odds of poor mental health is over 60% higher among NEET people than the odds among non-NEET people. The effect of NEET experiences appears to be consistent for men and for women. Policy intervention is necessary in assisting NEET young people to re-engage in education or employment.
