Relationships between Physical Health and Employment among People with Serious Mental Illness

Abstract

Individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) have high rates of chronic physical health conditions and unemployment. Research suggests that a person’s health is related to their employment. Although available research indicates that mental health is related to employment for adults with SMI, there is a need for further inquiry regarding physical health. This study used data from three waves of the Medical Expenditures Panel Survey to examine multivariate relationships between physical health conditions, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and employment among a sample of individuals with SMI (N = 648). Findings suggested that people with SMI and physical health conditions had lower HRQOL, compared with those with SMI only, and that physical and mental HRQOL mediated relationships between physical health conditions and employment. It is important to note that physical HRQOL had a stronger relationship with employment than mental HRQOL. These findings have important implications for integrated health care practice and research and policies aimed at expanding or restricting access to health care.