FfW Bulgarian report (English language) - Fit for Work Europe

Introduction
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Todorov, Karova, Dimitrova, and Zagorov, 2007). 5 The risk is therefore that poor health will
continue draining the Bulgarian economy of the much-needed skills and knowledge it requires
and makes the longer-term vision of the ‘knowledge economy’ more difficult to attain and
sustain.
Second, unemployment and job loss have serious financial and health consequences for
individuals. Studies have shown widespread deterioration in aspects of physical and mental
well-being among those who lose their jobs which can persist for many months (Armstrong,
2006; Brinkley, Clayton, Coats, Hutton, and Overell, 2008). Overall, employed individuals report
better health status than the unemployed.
Third, it is essential that job loss is not concentrated in the most vulnerable parts of the
workforce, especially among those with a disability or with a long-term or chronic health
condition. Finding ways of improving job retention for these workers is vital as we know that,
once they become detached from the labour market, their chances of finding meaningful work
again are severely damaged. As unemployment starts to rise again, it will be important to
ensure that those with illness or long-term conditions are not disproportionately affected.
Fourth, once the upturn arrives – which it assuredly will – the Bulgarian economy cannot afford
for its recovery to be inhibited by a shortage of skilled, motivated and healthy workers. It is on
this last point which much of this report focuses.
The link between the health of the workforce and the socioeconomic development of the country
is recognised in Bulgaria (Tzenova, 2011) and has given cause for concern for a number of
years. These concerns will continue in the light of both the economic downturn and of the
ageing of the Bulgarian workforce. The following data points illustrate some of the highlighted
trends:
• According to the Fifth European Survey on Working Conditions (EWCS, 2010), up to
33.7 per cent of Bulgarians believed that work negatively affected their health.
• At least 27 per cent of employees had taken health-related leave in the previous year
(EWCS, 2010).
• Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue accounted for 8.9 per
cent of primary disabilities for people over 16 years of age in 2009 (Griva and Dikova,
2009). Of these, 83 per cent experienced over 50 per cent loss in their capacity to work.
5 Also reiterated in expert interviews
Fit For Work?