Unemployment and heart disease--is there an association?

This paper presents a time series analysis of the determinants of heart disease mortality in Rhode Island. Some economists believe that fluctuations in heart disease mortality can be explained by current and lagged unemployment. Others claim that it is difficult to show a causal link between unemployment and heart disease mortality that can be separated from behavioral factors. The empirical results from this paper provide convincing evidence that unemployment and lagged unemployment rates do not increase heart disease mortality in Rhode Island when behavioral factors, such as alcohol and fat consumption, are considered.