US study links low wages and job instability to higher mortality risk

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) indicates that low-wage workers face a significantly higher risk of premature death. The research, conducted by the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, tracked 4,000 workers in the United States over a 12-year period using data from the University of Michigan’s Health and Retirement Study.

Findings show that middle-aged workers who consistently received low wages had a 38 percent higher likelihood of dying during the 12-year period compared to those who did not. This risk more than doubles for workers who experience both consistently low wages and job instability. Researchers noted that wages serve as a critical indicator of both income levels and job types, both of which impact health through varying levels of workplace hazards and stress.