Social inequality in working life expectancy in Sweden

• Background In Sweden, there is a socioeconomic divide between white and blue collars with respect to risk for premature work life exits. Disability pension has long represented a major reason behind early exits. Objectives The present investigation aimed at studying the effect on socioeconomic groups of new guidelines issued by the Swedish government in 2006, limiting the possibilities for applicants to be granted pension on medical grounds. Material and method The study was based on register data comprising the prevalence in the age group 55-64 years of disability pension and premature age pension in different occupations, comparing the years 2006 and 2011. Results It was found that in 2011 under the new guidelines, newly approved disability pensions had dropped by 70%. Women were affected more than men. The drop in disability pensions affected applicants within the two most prevalent diagnosis chapters, mental disorders (a drop by 58 %) and musculoskeletal disorders (a drop by 87 %). In the same time period, the percentage in the age range 55-64 years choosing premature age pension more than doubled. An increase in the number of premature age pensions was more common in blue collar occupational groups than in white collars. Occupation had a higher impact on working life expectancy than country of birth. Conclusion There are strong indications that many applicants, particularly blue collars, who had been unable to be granted disability pension under the new operational guidelines instead choose premature age pension, a costly alternative for many individuals with already low pension benefits. Our results indicate a tendency of passing on the societal costs of early labour market exits to different economic compensation arrangements, as well as to the individuals themselves.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Hälso- och sjukvårdsorganisation, hälsopolitik och hälsoekonomi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Health Care Service and Management, Health Policy and Services and Health Economy (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Arbetslivsstudier (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences -- Work Sciences (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Arbetsmedicin och miljömedicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Occupational Health and Environmental Health (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

retirement

socioeconomic class

disability pension

health

ancestry

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)