Public health experts stress the importance of the social causation of disease. Work and education among the key determinants of health. Health detriments are associated with negative career experiences. This is illustrated by the substantial literature linking unemployment to increased incidence of mental health conditions. An emerging evidence base suggests that there may be long term ‘health scarring’ effects of youth unemployment that endure long into adulthood. It is reasonable to see career as an important category of factors influencing health outcomes.
If health has social determinants then it follows that follows that social interventions can contribute to public health. Public health interventions can been seen as offering three levels of protection, by acting to:
i. Prevent the onset of health conditions
ii. Shorten the duration and reduce the severity of health conditions, and prevent their re-occurrence,
iii. Ameliorate the severity of illness experiences and reduce their impact on functioning.
Poor health leads to economic costs for governments due to increased demand for health and social care. In the working age population, economic impacts are amplified by absenteeism, reduced tax revenues and increased welfare benefit costs for those unable to work. Interventions that improve these outcomes have both health and economic value.
At a national level, career guidance can be conceptualised as a public health intervention. Recommendations will be made as to the implication of this for practitioners, for services, and for working with policymakers.
