Economic activity JSNA
Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) identifies key issues affecting the health and wellbeing of our residents, both now and in the future.
In the borough of Rochdale, an estimated 71.1 per cent of people are economically active, including almost 95,300 people who are in employment. Around 4.7 per cent of the population are unemployed, which is above the North West average of 3.9 per cent (Annual Population Survey 2023).
The health benefits of being in employment
People in employment are healthier, particularly those who have more control over their working conditions. Ideally, residents of working age in Rochdale borough who are able to work would find meaningful employment enabling them to support themselves. However, this isn't always the case. This meaningful employment would support their mental wellbeing and allow them to build up income so that by the end of their working lives they're in relatively good health and able to enjoy retirement.
Health issues associated with unemployment
Unemployment is associated with an increased risk of ill health and mortality. There are relationships between unemployment and poor mental health, suicide, self-reported ill health and limiting long term illness as well as a higher prevalence of risky health behaviours including alcohol use and smoking among unemployed people (Office for Health Improvement & Disparities, 2023).
Links between unemployment and poor mental health may be explained by some of the impacts of unemployment: stigma, isolation and loss of self-worth. People with long term psychiatric problems are less likely to be in employment than those with long-term physical disabilities, despite indications that most people with severe mental illness would like to work.
Statistics on economic activity
- Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) - Wider determinants of health profile - this profile features information on the wider or social determinants of health, including data on employment and the labour market.
- Nomis - Labour market statistics - the Office for National Statistics publishes labour market statistics through the Nomis website and the annual population survey contains data on employment, unemployment and economic inactivity by age group and other characteristics.
- Nomis - Local authority profile - these profiles are available for Rochdale and include some of the data from the key datasets on population, employment, unemployment, qualifications, earnings, benefit claimants and businesses.
Information and guidance on economic activity
- Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) - Supporting information on work and the labour market - this page in the wider determinants of health profile contains additional resources that offer complimentary details or functionality to inform decision making on the wider determinants of health.
- Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) - Workplace health: applying All Our Health - evidence and guidance to help healthcare professionals encourage people to live healthy lifestyles at work.
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance - Workplaces - NICE has produced a number of documents on workplace health including guidance on mental wellbeing, workplace health and long-term sickness absence.