The impact of unemployment on the physical and mental health of adolescents is one of the critical medical and social issues of our age. This paper reviews recent studies examining the link between youth unemployment and physical and mental ill-health. The evidence suggests that youth unemployment is associated with an increased vulnerability to psychiatric disorder. It is more firmly established that unemployment influences the course and prognosis of those with preexisting psychiatric disorders. Psychiatric disorder itself can also lead to reduced employability, particularly during periods of economic adversity. Fruitful areas of further study are identified.
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