Skip to main content
Advertisement
Browse Subject Areas
?

Click through the PLOS taxonomy to find articles in your field.

For more information about PLOS Subject Areas, click here.

  • Loading metrics

Prevalence of All-Cause and Diagnosis-Specific Disability Pension at the Time of First Coronary Revascularisation: A Population-Based Swedish Cross-Sectional Study

  • Katharina Zetterström ,

    katharina.zetterstrom@ki.se

    Affiliation Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

  • Margaretha Voss,

    Affiliations Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Department of Analysis and Forecasts, Swedish Social Insurance Agency, Stockholm, Sweden

  • Kristina Alexanderson,

    Affiliation Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

  • Torbjörn Ivert,

    Affiliation Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Anesthesiology, Karolinska University Hospital and Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

  • Kenneth Pehrsson,

    Affiliation Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

  • Niklas Hammar,

    Affiliations AstraZeneca R&D, Mölndal, Sweden, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

  • Marjan Vaez

    Affiliations Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Centre for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract

Background

Although coronary revascularisation by coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is well documented, scientific knowledge on disability pension (DP) at the time of revascularisation is lacking. The aim was to investigate the prevalence of all-cause and diagnosis-specific DP at the time of a first coronary revascularisation, accounting for socio-demographic and medical factors.

Materials and Methods

A population-based cross-sectional study using Swedish registers was conducted including all 65,676 patients (80% men) who when aged 30–63 years, within 1994–2006, had a first CABG (n = 22,959) or PCI (n = 42,717) and did not have old-age pension. Associations between socio-demographic and medical factors and the probability of DP were estimated by odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) using logistic regression analyses.

Findings

The prevalence of DP at time of revascularisation was 24%, mainly due to musculoskeletal diagnoses. Sixty-two percent had had DP for at least four years before the revascularisation. In the multivariable analyses, DP was more common in women (OR: 2.40; 95% CI: 2.29–2.50), older patients (50–63 years); especially men aged 60–63 years with CABG (OR: 4.91; 95% CI: 4.27–5.66), lower educational level; especially men with PCI (OR: 2.96; 95% CI: 2.69–3.26), patients born outside Sweden; especially men with PCI (OR: 2.11; 95% CI: 1.96–2.27), and in women with an indication of other diagnoses than acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or stable angina pectoris for PCI (OR: 1.72; 95% CI: 1.31–2.24).

Conclusion

About a quarter had DP at the time of revascularisation, often due to musculoskeletal diagnoses. More than half had had DP for at least four years before the intervention. DP was associated with female gender, older age, lower educational level, and being born outside Sweden.

Introduction

Annually in Sweden about 10,000 patients of working age undergo coronary revascularisation, i.e. coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). These are established and well-documented interventions [18] resulting in symptom reduction, improved physical capacity, and reduced mortality among patients with ischemic heart disease, including acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and stable angina pectoris [6]. Coronary revascularisation could hence increase the possibility of return to work [9]. And alertness is warranted in health care, regarding individualised rehabilitation measures, to promote return to work. Nevertheless, some patients might already be on disability pension (DP) at the time of revascularisation and thus, already permanently excluded from the work force. Also, over the last decades, DP has increased in many western countries [10,11]. However, no studies have, so far, investigated the extent of DP at the time of coronary revascularisation – and even less is known about the diagnoses for DP in this patient group. Such knowledge is of importance when planning for what type of rehabilitation measures to offer patients with coronary revascularisation. In general, DP is more common among women [1222], older individuals [23,24], lower level educated [17,2529] and foreign-born individuals [3033]. Whether this also applies for patients undergoing coronary revascularisation is not scientifically known. Results from studies on DP rates could be attrition biased by drop outs, and the generalisability of findings could be affected when only a few clinics are included. Also employment frequency might affect results – if those older than 55 or 60 years are not gainfully employed, and if women are less employed than men, this would imply an age- or gender bias in who applies for DP. As Sweden has one of the highest employment frequencies, also regarding people of higher age and of female gender [34,35], it would be an advantage to base such a study on all coronary revascularisations conducted in Sweden. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of all-cause and diagnosis-specific DP at the time of a first coronary revascularisation, accounting for socio-demographic and medical factors.

Materials and Methods

Ethics Statement

The study population was identified through nationwide registers collected and stored with the consent of the patients. Additional information was collected by linkage of several public national registers. Ethical vetting is always required when using register data in purpose of research in Sweden. The ethical vetting is performed by regional ethical review boards and the risk appraisal associated with the Law on Public Disclosure and Secrecy is done by data owners. The ethical review boards can however waive the requirement to consult the data subjects directly to obtain their informed consent, and will often do so if the research is supported by the ethical review board and the data has already been collected in some other context. According to these standards in Sweden this project has been evaluated and approved by the Regional Ethical Review Board of Stockholm, Sweden (2006/661-31).

Study population

This population-based register study comprised all the 65,676 (80% men) individuals in Sweden, who within 1994–2006, when aged 30–63 years, had a first CABG (n = 22,959) or PCI (n = 42,717) and did not have old-age pension. The patients were identified using the nationwide quality register for coronary revascularisation SWEDEHEART [3] including information on patient characteristics, date and type of intervention for all performed coronary revascularisations in Sweden.

Linkage to Nationwide Registers

The information from nationwide registers was linked to each patient using the unique Swedish personal identification number. Information on date, degree and diagnosis of DP was obtained from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (MiDAS data base). Information on level of education, country of birth, and type of living area was obtained from the Statistics Sweden (LISA register). And, if data was not available in SWEDEHEART, information on diabetes mellitus and indication for intervention was obtained from the Board of Health and Welfare (The National Patient Register).

Outcome

The outcome was having DP at the time of a first CABG or PCI.

Categorisation of variables

DP diagnoses were classified according to International Classification of Diseases version 10 (ICD-10) [36] and categorised into five groups: Cardiovascular diseases (I00-99) (referred as ‘CVD’), mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99) (‘mental diagnoses’), diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99) (‘musculoskeletal diagnoses’), all ‘other diagnoses’, and ‘no information’. Information about DP diagnoses was not available for most of the DPs granted before the year 1994. Degree of DP was categorised as part- (≤50%) and full-time DP (>50%). Years on DP before intervention were categorised into ≤3, 4–10, and 11–35 years. Socio-demographic and medical factors were categorised as follows. Age at intervention: 30–49, 50–54, 55–59, and 60–63 years. Level of education: elementary school (≤9 years), high school (>9 and ≤12 years), and college/university (>12 years). Country of birth: Sweden and other countries. Type of living area: larger cities (Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö), medium- sized cities, and smaller communities [37]. Year of intervention: 1994–1996, 1997–2000, 2001–2003, and 2004–2006. Indication for intervention was categorised according to the ICD-10 into: acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with non-ST-elevated myocardial infarction or rarely ST-elevated myocardial infarction, stable angina, and others. Diabetes mellitus: yes, no and missing data (12%). A sensitivity analysis of the missing diabetes data revealed no gender or age differences between the missing and the obtained data. However, a somewhat higher proportion of lower educational level and CABG was seen in patients with missing data.

Statistical analyses

Descriptive statistics were used to outline study-population characteristics and prevalence of all-cause and diagnosis-specific DP at the time of coronary revascularisation. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for DP at the time of revascularisation were calculated by logistic regression analyses. Significant covariates from the univariable model were included in the multivariable analyses. The ORs were adjusted for covariates in the following models; model I (age), model II (age and level of education), model III (gender), and model IV (all variables included). Most analyses were stratified by gender and type of intervention (CABG, PCI).

Social insurance in Sweden

In Sweden, all individuals aged 19–64 years with long-term or permanent work incapacity due to disease or injury can be granted DP for part- or full-time of ordinary working hours. The common age for old-age pension is 65, but it can be obtained earlier. For individuals with no or a low previous income, the DP benefits amount to a minimum level. For those with a previous income, the benefits amount to at least 64% of lost income and up to a certain level.

Results

The characteristics of the study population and the prevalence of DP stratified by type of intervention and gender are presented in Table 1. Mean age at intervention was 55 years and a majority had at most a high school education, were born in Sweden, and lived in medium-sized cities and smaller communities. Most had their first PCI during year 2004–2006 whereas most CABG procedures were performed before 2001. ACS was the main indication for revascularisation in a majority of the patients (61%). Eighteen percent had diabetes mellitus at the time of revascularisation. The prevalence of DP at the time of revascularisation was 24% and the highest prevalence was found among women with CABG (41%)

thumbnail
Table 1. Patient characteristics, stratified by type of intervention and gender, of all patients in Sweden (N = 65,676), 30–63 years of age, with a first coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) within the year 1994–2006, and with disability pension (DP) (n = 15,497) at time of intervention.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0115540.t001

Descriptive data for all-cause and diagnosis-specific DP is presented in Table 2. The largest DP-diagnostic group was musculoskeletal diagnoses (28% of all; and 41% of all with information available on DP diagnoses). This was also the largest diagnostic group in most subgroups. The second largest DP-diagnostic group was CVD (15%; 22% among those with diagnoses). Among those with DP diagnoses, DP due to CVD was most common in men with revascularisation before year 1996. The third largest DP-diagnostic group was mental diagnoses (9%; 13% among those with diagnoses). Musculoskeletal and mental DP diagnoses were about three times more common among the PCI patients compared to CABG. Of all on DP at the time of revascularisation, 89% had full-time DP and 43% were 60–63 years of age. Sixty-two percent had had DP for at least four years before the revascularisation.

thumbnail
Table 2. Frequencies (n) and proportions (%) of disability pension (DP) diagnoses among women and men with a first coronary revascularisation within the year 1994–2006 (n = 15,497).

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0115540.t002

More women (38%) than men (20%) and more CABG patients (26%) than PCI patients (22%) had DP at the time of revascularisation (Table 3). After adjustments for age and level of education, the OR for DP in women compared to men was 2.40 (95% CI: 2.29–2.50). After adjustments for gender, the OR for DP in CABG compared to PCI patients was 1.30 (95% CI: 1.26–1.35). Thus, both gender and type of intervention were of importance for DP, why also the logistic analyses were stratified by gender and type of intervention.

thumbnail
Table 3. Disability pension (DP) at the time of first coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), frequencies (n), proportions (%), crude and adjusted odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), by gender and type of intervention.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0115540.t003

After multivariable adjustments and regardless of gender and type of intervention, the odds for DP at the time of revascularisation was higher among patients aged ≥50 years compared to those aged 30–49 years; especially in men, 60–63 years, with CABG (OR: 4.91; 95% CI: 4.27–5.66) (Table 4 and 5, model IV). Also, patients with elementary or high school compared to college/university education, had a higher OR for DP; especially men with PCI and elementary school (OR: 2.96; 95% CI: 2.69–3.26). A higher OR was found among foreign-born patients compared to those born in Sweden; especially men with PCI (OR: 2.11; 95% CI: 1.96–2.27) and among women with an indication of other diagnoses than ACS or stable angina pectoris for PCI (OR: 1.72; 95% CI: 1.31–2.24). On the contrary, the OR was lower among men who had their first revascularisation after 1996; lowest in men with CABG in year 2001–2003 (OR: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.63–0.81). There was no significant association between diabetes mellitus and DP at the time of revascularisation.

thumbnail
Table 4. Crude and adjusted odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for disability pension (DP) at time of a first coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), among women and men, with regard to sociodemographic and medical factors.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0115540.t004

thumbnail
Table 5. Crude and adjusted odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for disability pension (DP) at time of a first percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), among women and men, with regard to socio-demographic and medical factors.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0115540.t005

Discussion

In this nationwide study we investigated the prevalence of all-cause and diagnosis-specific DP at the time of CABG or PCI within the year 1994–2006, accounting for socio-demographic and medical factors. We found that 24% of the patients had DP, usually for full-time. This means that about a quarter already had left working life at the time of revascularisation. Moreover, in the studied population, the proportion of being on DP in 2004 was almost twice as large (22%) as in the general population aged 30–63 (12%) in 2004 (the year with the, so far, highest DP rate in Sweden) [38]. In the whole working population of OECD countries, the corresponding rates were 6% in 2007, 5% in 1990[39] and in Sweden 9% in 2007 [38].

Although the indication for intervention was cardiac symptoms, musculoskeletal diagnoses was the largest DP-diagnostic group; also in most of the subpopulations. This is also the largest DP-diagnostic group in the general population [9,4042]. CVD was the second largest DP-diagnostic group (22%), however, the rate of DP due to CVD was much lower in the general population (6%) of Sweden in 2002 [42]. In the general population, mental diagnoses usually was the second largest DP-diagnostic group, e.g. 30% of all DPs in 2002 [42]. However, in this study mental diagnoses was only the third largest group (13%), also in most of the subpopulations. Of all with DP, 62% had had DP for at least four years before revascularisation. Thus, long-term DP (marginalisation from the labour market) in itself might be a risk factor for future CVD, something that requires other studies. There is hardly any scientific knowledge on consequences of being on DP. Some recent studies indicate that DP might be a risk indicator for mortality [4348], also due to non-lethal DP diagnoses such as musculoskeletal diagnoses.

Regardless of gender, type of intervention or adjustments, and in accordance with previous studies of DP in the general population [17,2333], we found a higher OR for DP among older patients, among lower level educated; especially men with PCI who almost had a tripled OR for DP, and among those born outside Sweden; especially men with PCI who had a doubled OR for DP at the time of revascularisation.

In line with previous studies of DP [1222], the studied women were twice as likely as the men to have DP, also after adjustments for age and educational level. This indicates that also other factors were associated with the higher odds for DP in women. There are several theories on reasons for the higher DP rates in women [49,50]. Possible explanations regarding this patient group are women’s higher age at the diagnosis of cardiovascular disease [51] and that women who undergo CABG have more co-morbidity and smaller coronary arteries than men [2]. Moreover, women’s higher sick-leave rate [52], different work demands, and possible gender bias in health care [49,50] could be contributing factors to the higher DP rate in women.

Patients above 50 years of age had, as expected, a higher odds for DP; men, 60–63 years of age, had more than a fourfold OR for DP; this is only slightly above that of men in the general population of that age (30 vs 27%) [38].

This is the first study of DP prevalence at the time of first coronary revascularisation among working-aged women and men. In line with previous studies on DP in the general population [3033], foreign-born individuals had a higher DP-rate than those born in Sweden, even after adjustments for other socio-demographic factors. However, in order to gain more knowledge on these associations, further specific studies are needed.

Diabetes mellitus was not associated with a higher OR for DP at time of revascularisation. Nevertheless, it is a risk indicator for future DP and long-term sick leave after coronary revascularisation [53,54]. This finding could be of importance in the rehabilitation of patients with diabetes mellitus at time of coronary revascularisation.

Strengths and limitations

This is the first nationwide, population-based study that investigates the prevalence of all-cause and diagnosis-specific DP at the time of coronary revascularisation among working aged women and men. The main strengths are the large study population, that all patients, aged 30–63 years, with no on old-age pension, and with a first coronary revascularisation in Sweden between 1994–2006, were included, and the high quality of data linked from several registers [55]. Although most studies on DP do not have access to information on DP diagnoses at all, limitations are the non-available information on DP-diagnoses for DPs granted before 1994 and the missing data on diabetes mellitus. Diabetes data was collected by the physicians asking the patients a question at the time of the intervention. The reason for this missing data is unclear, but a likely explanation is that physicians did not register information if the patient did not have diabetes.

Conclusions

About a quarter of patients aged 30–63 years already had DP at the time of their first coronary revascularisation, most often due to musculoskeletal DP diagnoses. More than half had had DP for at least four years before intervention. DP was associated with female gender, older age, lower educational level, and being born outside Sweden.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: KZ M. Voss KA TI KP NH M. Vaez. Performed the experiments: KZ M. Voss M. Vaez. Analyzed the data: KZ M. Voss M. Vaez. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: KZ M. Voss KA TI KP NH M. Vaez. Wrote the paper: KZ M. Voss KA TI KP NH M. Vaez. Interpretation of data: KZ M. Voss KA TI KP NH M. Vaez. Revised the manuscript critically for important intellectual content: KZ M. Voss KA TI KP NH M. Vaez.

References

  1. 1. Bravata DM, Gienger AL, McDonald KM, Sundaram V, Perez MV, et al. (2007) Systematic review: the comparative effectiveness of percutaneous coronary interventions and coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Ann Intern Med 147: 703–716. pmid:17938385
  2. 2. Hammar N, Sandberg E, Larsen FF, Ivert T (1997) Comparison of early and late mortality in men and women after isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery in Stockholm, Sweden, 1980 to 1989. J Am Coll Cardiol 29: 659–664. pmid:9060908
  3. 3. Jernberg T, Attebring MF, Hambraeus K, Ivert T, James S, et al. (2010) The Swedish Web-system for Enhancement and Development of Evidence-based care in Heart disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies (SWEDEHEART). Heart 96: 1617–1621. pmid:20801780
  4. 4. Norheim A, Segadal L (2011) Relative survival after CABG surgery is poorer in women and in patients younger than 70 years at surgery. Scand Cardiovasc J 45: 247–251. pmid:21604963
  5. 5. Pilote L, Dasgupta K, Guru V, Humphries KH, McGrath J, et al. (2007) A comprehensive view of sex-specific issues related to cardiovascular disease. CMAJ 176: 1–44. pmid:17353516
  6. 6. Wijns W, Kolh P, Danchin N, Di Mario C, Falk V, et al. (2010) Guidelines on myocardial revascularization. Eur Heart J 31: 2501–2555. pmid:20802248
  7. 7. Yusuf S, Zucker D, Peduzzi P, Fisher LD, Takaro T, et al. (1994) Effect of coronary artery bypass graft surgery on survival: overview of 10-year results from randomised trials by the Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery Trialists Collaboration. Lancet 344: 563–570. pmid:7914958
  8. 8. (2009) Årsrapport SWEDEHEART 2008.(Yearly report, SWEDEHEART 2008) (In Swedish). Uppsala Clinical Research Center. Available: http://www.ucr.uu.se/swedeheart/index.php/arsrapporter. Accessed 4 July 2014.
  9. 9. Perk J, Alexanderson K (2004) Swedish Council on Technology Assessment in Health Care (SBU). Chapter 8. Sick leave due to coronary artery disease or stroke. Scand J Public Health Suppl 63: 181–206. pmid:15513657
  10. 10. Alexanderson K, Norlund A. (2004) Swedish Council on Technology Assessment in Health Care (SBU). Chapter 1. Aim, background, key concepts regulations, and current statistics. Scand J Public Health 32 (suppl 63): 12–30. pmid:15513650
  11. 11. Henderson M, Glozier N, Holland Elliot K (2005) Long term sickness absence. BMJ 330: 802–803. pmid:15817531
  12. 12. Albertsen K, Lund T, Christensen KB, Kristensen TS, Villadsen E (2007) Predictors of disability pension over a 10-year period for men and women. Scand J Public Health 35: 78–85. pmid:17366091
  13. 13. Alexanderson KAE, Borg KE, Hensing GKE (2005) Sickness absence with low-back, shoulder, or neck diagnoses: An 11-year follow-up regarding gender differences in sickness absence and disability pension. Work 25: 115–124. pmid:16131741
  14. 14. Borg K, Hensing G, Alexanderson K (2004) Risk factors for disability pension over 11 years in a cohort of young persons initially sick-listed with low back, neck, or shoulder diagnoses. Scand J Public Health 32: 272–278. pmid:15370767
  15. 15. Borg K, Hensing G, Alexanderson K (2001) Predictive factors for disability pension—an 11-year follow up of young persons on sick leave due to neck, shoulder, or back diagnoses. Scand J Public Health 29: 104–112. pmid:11484862
  16. 16. Claussen B, Dalgard OS (2009) Disability pensioning: the gender divide can be explained by occupation, income, mental distress and health. Scand J Public Health 37: 590–597. pmid:19535405
  17. 17. Gjesdal S, Bratberg E, Maeland JG (2011) Gender differences in disability after sickness absence with musculoskeletal disorders: five-year prospective study of 37,942 women and 26,307 men. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 12: 37. pmid:21299856
  18. 18. Gjesdal S, Lie RT, Maeland JG (2004) Variations in the risk disability pension in Norway 1970–99. Scand J Public Health: 340–348. pmid:15513666
  19. 19. Gjesdal S, Ringdal PR, Haug K, Maeland JG (2004) Predictors of disability pension in long-term sickness absence: results from a population-based and prospective study in Norway 1994–1999. Eur J Public Health 14: 398–405. pmid:15542877
  20. 20. Hansson T, Jensen I (2004) Sickness absence due to back and neck disorders. Scandinavian J Public Health 32: 109–151. pmid:15513655
  21. 21. Krokstad S, Johnsen R, Westin S (2002) Social determinants of disability pension: a 10 year follow-up of 62 000 people in a Norwegian county population. Int J Epidemiol 31: 1183–1191. pmid:12540720
  22. 22. (2010) Sickness, disability and work: Breaking the barriers: Sweden. OECD. Available: http://www.oecd.org/social/soc/sicknessdisabilityandworkbreakingthebarrierssweden-willtherecentreformsmakeit.htm. Accessed: 4 July 2014.
  23. 23. Allebeck P, Mastekaasa A (2004) Swedish Council on Technology Assessment in Health Care (SBU). Chapter 5. Risk factors for sick leave—general studies. Scand J Public Health 32 (suppl 63): 49–108. pmid:15513654
  24. 24. Karlsson N, Carstensen J, Gjesdal S, Alexanderson K (2008) Risk factors for disability pension in a population-based cohort of men and women on long-term sick leave in Sweden. Eur J Public Health 18: 224–231. pmid:18245150
  25. 25. Gjesdal S, Bratberg E (2002) The role of gender in long-term sickness absence and transition to permanent disability benefits. Eur J Public Health: 180–186. pmid:12232956
  26. 26. Jensen LD, Ryom PK, Christensen MV, Andersen JH (2012) Differences in risk factors for voluntary early retirement and disability pension: a 15-year follow-up in a cohort of nurses’ aides. BMJ Open 2. pmid:23148337
  27. 27. Jespersen L, Abildstrom SZ, Hvelplund A, Galatius S, Madsen JK, et al. (2013) Symptoms of angina pectoris increase the probability of disability pension and premature exit from the workforce even in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease. Eur Heart J 34: 3294–3303. pmid:24071763
  28. 28. Ropponen A, Silventoinen K, Svedberg P, Alexanderson K, Koskenvuo K, et al. (2011) Health-related risk factors for disability pensions due to musculoskeletal diagnoses: a 30-year Finnish twin cohort study. Scand J Public Health 39: 839–848. pmid:21893608
  29. 29. Ostby KA, Orstavik RE, Knudsen AK, Reichborn-Kjennerud T, Mykletun A (2011) Health problems account for a small part of the association between socioeconomic status and disability pension award. Results from the Hordaland Health Study. BMC Public Health 11: 12. pmid:21210992
  30. 30. Beckman A, Hakansson A, Rastam L, Lithman T, Merlo J (2006) The role country of birth plays in receiving disability pensions in relation to patterns of health care utilisation and socioeconomic differences: a multilevel analysis of Malmo, Sweden. BMC Public Health 6: 71. pmid:16542459
  31. 31. Johansson B, Helgesson M, Lundberg I, Nordquist T, Leijon O, et al. (2012) Work and health among immigrants and native Swedes 1990–2008: a register-based study on hospitalization for common potentially work-related disorders, disability pension and mortality. BMC Public Health 12: 845. pmid:23039821
  32. 32. Claussen B, Smeby L, Bruusgaard D (2012) Disability pension rates among immigrants in Norway. J Immigr Minor Health 14: 259–263. pmid:21188530
  33. 33. Osterberg T, Gustafsson B (2006) Disability pension among immigrants in Sweden. Soc Sci Med 63: 805–816. pmid:16635540
  34. 34. (2014) OECD Labour Market Statistics: Labour force statistics by sex and age, OECD Employment and Labour Market Statistics (database). DOI: 10.1787/data-00309-en).
  35. 35. (2014) OECD Better Life Index. http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/countries/sweden/
  36. 36. WHO (2010) International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). World Health Organization.Available:http://apps.who.int/classifications/icd10/browse/2010/en. Accessed: 14 July 2014.
  37. 37. Samuelsson A, Ropponen A, Alexanderson K, Lichtenstein P, Svedberg P (2012) Disability pension among Swedish twins—prevalence over 16 years and associations with sociodemographic factors in 1992. J Occup Environ Med 54: 10–16. pmid:22157805
  38. 38. (2014) Sjukersättning (Disability pension)(In Swedish). Försäkringskassan Available: http://www.forsakringskassan.se. Accessed: 4 July 2014.
  39. 39. (2009) OECD Employment Outlook 2009 Tackling the Jobs Crisis.
  40. 40. (2014) Social Insurance in Figures 2012. Swedish Social Insurance Agency. Available: http://www.forsakringskassan.se/wps/wcm/connect/3107947a-6e12-4dcc-b1a6-e952a289ea95/sfis+2014-e.pdf?MOD=AJPERES. Accessed: 4 July 2014.
  41. 41. Hamalainen H, Maki J, Virta L, Keskimaki I, Mahonen M, et al. (2004) Return to work after first myocardial infarction in 1991–1996 in Finland. Eur J Public Health 14: 350–353. pmid:15542868
  42. 42. (2004) Sjukdomar som orsakat pensionering (Disability pension diagnoses)(In Swedish). Riksförsäkringsverket. Is-I 2004:3
  43. 43. Gjesdal S, Haug K, Ringdal P, Maeland JG, Hagberg J, et al. (2009) Sickness absence with musculoskeletal or mental diagnoses, transition into disability pension and all-cause mortality: A 9-year prospective cohort study. Scand J Public Health 37: 387–394. pmid:19324926
  44. 44. Gjesdal S, Svedberg P, Hagberg J, Alexanderson K (2009) Mortality among disability pensioners in Norway and Sweden 1990–96: Comparative prospective cohort study. Scand J Public Health 37: 168–175. pmid:19179451
  45. 45. Gjesdal S, Maeland JG, Svedberg P, Hagberg J, Alexanderson K (2008) Role of diagnoses and socioeconomic status in mortality among disability pensioners in Norway—a population-based cohort study. Scand J Work Environ Health 34: 479–482. pmid:19137210
  46. 46. Jonsson U, Alexanderson K, Kjeldgard L, Westerlund H, Mittendorfer-Rutz E (2013) Diagnosis-specific disability pension predicts suicidal behaviour and mortality in young adults: a nationwide prospective cohort study. BMJ Open 3:e002286. pmid:23396561
  47. 47. Karlsson NE, Carstensen JM, Gjesdal S, Alexanderson KA (2007) Mortality in relation to disability pension: findings from a 12-year prospective population-based cohort study in Sweden. Scand J Public Health 35: 341–347. pmid:17786796
  48. 48. Wallman T, Wedel H, Johansson S, Rosengren A, Eriksson H, et al. (2006) The prognosis for individuals on disability retirement. An 18-year mortality follow-up study of 6887 men and women sampled from the general population. BMC Public Health 6: 103. pmid:16630360
  49. 49. Alexanderson K, Norlund A (2004) Swedish Council on Technology Assessment in Health Care (SBU). Chapter 1. Aim, backround, key concepts regulations, and current statistics. Scand J Public Health 32: 12–30. pmid:15513650
  50. 50. Kilbom Å, Messing K, Bildt Thorbjörnsson C, Arbetslivsinstitutet (1998) Women’s health at work. Solna: National Institute for Working Life (Arbetslivsinstitutet). 321 s. ([328] s., s. 311–321) p.
  51. 51. Stramba-Badiale M, Fox KM, Priori SG, Collins P, Daly C, et al. (2006) Cardiovascular diseases in women: a statement from the policy conference of the European Society of Cardiology. Eur Heart J 27: 994–1005. pmid:16522654
  52. 52. Allebeck P, Mastekaasa A (2004) Swedish Council on Technology Assessment in Health Care (SBU). Chapter 5. Causes of sickness absence: research approaches and explanatory models. Scand J Public Health 32 (suppl 63): 36–43. pmid:15513652
  53. 53. Voss M, Ivert T, Pehrsson K, Hammar N, Alexanderson K, et al. (2012) Sickness absence following coronary revascularisation. A national study of women and men of working age in Sweden 1994–2006. PLoS One 7: e40952. pmid:22848415
  54. 54. Zetterstrom K, Vaez M, Alexanderson K, Ivert T, Pehrsson K, et al. (2014) Disability pension after coronary revascularization: a prospective nationwide register-based Swedish cohort study. Eur J Prev Cardiol. DOI: 10.1177/2047487313518472
  55. 55. Ludvigsson JF, Andersson E, Ekbom A, Feychting M, Kim JL, et al. (2011) External review and validation of the Swedish national inpatient register. BMC Public Health 11: 450. pmid:21658213