Risk factors for disability pension among unemployed women on long-term sick-leave

Background: In 1996 some 520 000 people (13% of Sweden's working force) were either long-term sick-listed or on disability pensions. To reintroduce sick and injured people to the workforce, vocational rehabilitation has received increasing emphasis. Unemployed women seem particularly difficult to rehabilitate. One explanation could be that unemployed women have more complex problems than others; another could concern the selection of cases for vocational rehabilitation programmes. Aim: The primary aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that unemployed women on sick-leave have more severe problems than others. A second purpose was to investigate whether the manner of selection for vocational rehabilitation programmes is different for unemployed women than for others. Material and method: The study analysed 364 registered long-term sick-leave cases (90 days or more) initiated during 1992-1994 in the city of Stockholm, Sweden. Result: Our hypothesis was supported by the study. Unemployed women were exposed to more risk factors than unemployed men or employed men and women. Regarding the selection of cases for rehabilitation, no difference was present between unemployed women and others. A finding, however not statistically significant, was that people in vocational rehabilitation, regardless of sex and employment status, were less exposed to risk factors than people not undergoing rehabilitation.