Reader Barbara Glickstein adds a useful note to yesterday’s post from Yvonne Liu, who pointed out a growing body of research that shows how longterm joblessness impacts both physical and mental health. Barbara says she is a nurse and comments:

Talking with colleagues who care for those who come in for health services, not to mention the over 59 million without insurance or access to primary care, they are seeing increased depression, anxiety disorders and escalation of symptoms in those living with chronic conditions. The extension of benefits for the unemployed and a large-scale job creation program is both good for the pubic’s health and the health of the economy. Can you hear this Washington?

So it’s showing up in the field as well as the research. Adds another troubling layer to Naima Ramos-Champan’s report this morning on youth of color who are out of work. Their life trajectories are likely to widen a host of racial disparities we’ve spent years working to close. There’s the wealth gap Naima writes about. But there are also the longstanding disparities in deaths from preventable diseases that will likely worse if the trends Yvonne and Barbara cite continue.