The effect of stress on the risk of death from stroke

Background: The purpose of this article is to describe the role of stress, here in the shape of the threat of unemployment, in making stroke (haemorrhagia and apoplexia cerebralis) a cause of death. This study is related to projects at the Institute of Public Health. Based on Danish data the actual development in the incidence of strokes in Denmark within age groups of five years is discussed with special attention to the threat of the specific unemployment pattern faced by each separate age group. Results and discussion: The article reveals how expected (feared) unemployment affects death from apoplexy—over the business cycle —years before unemployment is actually realized. The econometric problems in estimating that kind of model are briefly discussed. In the search for a ‘model’ for the incidence of stroke over the business cycle an interesting pattern of the time lags including backlash is revealed. Conclusion: The study concludes that stress caused by (the fear of) expected unemployment kills.