A cross-country comparison of health promotion for the unemployed people in Germany and Türkiye

Year 2025, Volume: 23 Issue: 3, 366 - 375, 30.12.2025

Ayşe Şeyma Turgut Arıkan , Alfons Hollederer

Abstract

This study examines health promotion initiatives for unemployed individuals, comparing practices in Germany and Türkiye. The cross-country comparison based upon a literature review considers the psychosocial impacts of unemployment-such as depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem-and evaluates national approaches in relation to welfare regime characteristics, unemployment rates, and available institutional resources. Germany’s comprehensive health and psychosocial support programs for the unemployed are contrasted with the more limited measures found in Türkiye. The German model demonstrates a more structured and wide-ranging implementation of psychosocial interventions, while Türkiye's approach remains in an early development phase with constrained reach and resources. The comparative evaluation highlights the significance of welfare regime type and institutional capacity in shaping health promotion efforts. The study underscores the need for Türkiye to expand and systematize health promotion programs for the unemployed. Policy recommendations are offered to improve psychosocial health outcomes through more inclusive and resource-supported interventions.

Keywords

Unemployment , Health promotion , Public health

Ethical Statement

Since this cross-country comparison was a literature review, ethical approval was not required to execute the study. However, the research was conducted with ethical principles, such as respecting copyright and using data with proper citation. Any research or data collection processes involving humans or animals were excluded from this study.

Supporting Institution

This research is supported by TÜBİTAK (Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye) 2219- International Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program.

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