Women’s higher likelihood of disability pension: the role of health, family and work. A 5–7 years follow-up of the Hordaland Health Study

BMC Public Health

John Gunnar Mæland²  Trond Riise²  Guri Rortveit¹  Sturla Gjesdal²  Inger Haukenes² 

[1] Research Unit for General Practice, Uni Health, Bergen, Kalfarveien 31, NO-5018, Bergen, Norway;Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Bergen, Kalfarveien 31, NO-5018, Bergen, Norway

关键词: Risk factors;    Occupational group;    Health;    Gender;    Educational status;    Cohort study;    Disability pension;   

Others  :  1163171
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2458-12-720

 received in 2012-02-22, accepted in 2012-08-28,  发布年份 2012

【 摘 要 】

Background

Women’s higher risk of disability pension compared with men is found in countries with high female work participation and universal welfare schemes. The aim of the study was to examine the extent to which self-perceived health, family situation and work factors explain women’s higher risk of disability pension. We also explored how these factors influenced the gender difference across educational strata.

Methods

The population-based Hordaland Health Study (HUSK) was conducted in 1997–99 and included inhabitants born in 1953–57 in Hordaland County, Norway. The current study included 5,959 men and 6,306 women in paid work with valid information on education and self-perceived health. Follow-up data on disability pension, for a period of 5–7 years, was obtained by linking the health survey to a national registry of disability pension. Cox regression analyses were employed.

Results

During the follow-up period 99 (1.7%) men and 230 (3.6%) women were awarded disability pension, giving a twofold risk of disability pension for women compared with men. Except for a moderate impact of self-perceived health, adjustment for family situation and work factors did not influence the gender difference in risk. Repeating the analyses in strata of education, the gender difference in risk of disability pension among the highly educated was fully explained by self-perceived health and work factors. In the lower strata of education there remained a substantial unexplained gender difference in risk.

Conclusions

In a Norwegian cohort of middle-aged men and women, self-perceived health, family situation and work factors could not explain women’s higher likelihood of disability pension. However, analyses stratified by educational level indicate that mechanisms behind the gender gap in disability pension differ by educational levels. Recognizing the heterogeneity within gender may contribute to a deeper understanding of women’s higher risk of disability pension.

【 授权许可】

   
2012 Haukenes et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

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