Over the impact of Precarity on the Health Status of the Italian Population

Non-standard and flexible types of employment are on the rise in developed and developing countries. Their socio-economic limitations (limited income, fluidity and flexibility of societal status, lack of social security protections and exclusion from the welfare state) are highly researched by both academic scholars and policymakers, but is it also possible to consider them as "unhealthy" forms of employment This thesis aims to analyse precarity as a Social Determinants of Health through qualitative analysis, that can capture the multidimensionality of this socio-economic phenomenon. The research design through which the analysis will be conducted following both cross-sectional methods, with an in-depth country case-study focus: Italy. Despite an advanced democracy, health care and welfare system, Italy is one of the Southern European countries in which deregulations and liberalizations of the labour market have followed one another over the years, without being accompanied by a reform of the welfare state. The result is an almost complete exclusion of precarious employees from social security benefits and protections. The findings of the research have highlighted how differences in health status, (livelihood and employment) satisfaction and well-being can be drawn following (a) the age of the individual, (b) the sector of employment (public vs. private) and (c) the longevity in the labour market under fixed-term or non-standard types of contracts. Policy recommendations will interest the public and governmental institutions, in particular in their investment strategy, the reform of the welfare state and of those criteria that determine citizens'' exclusion or inclusion into the existing juridical framework. Recommendations are also extended the operations of labour unions which for too long have put aside the interests and the inclusion of non-standard labourers in their trade union struggles, ultimately harming labours’ democratic rights of being politically represented in the economic and political debate.