Work and Disability at the Age of 30 Years: A Sociomedical Study of a Birth-cohort from Bergen II. Frequency of disability

Abstract

An attempt is made here to quantify occupational disability at the age of 30 years. The term disability is used in a broader sense than defined in the National Insurance Scheme, and covers all permanent occupational disability irrespective of cause. Disability is evaluated in terms of earned income and in accordance with the definition used under the National Insurance Scheme. The study is based on a cohort of 1570 persons, all live births in 1940 of mothers then residing in Bergen. Relevant information on earned incomes and on disability pensions was extracted from the files of the National Insurance Institution for 1331 persons of the cohort residing in Norway on 1st June 1971. Among the 30-year-old men residing in Norway the frequency of disability irrespective of cause was 3.1%, whereas the proportion receiving disability pension was 1.8%. The difference of 1.3% is explained mainly by the fact that alcoholism in itself is not accepted as grounds for a disability pension. Of the women, 88.3% were married. Among these, 0.7% were receiving disability pension. Of the unmarried women in the cohort, 20% (10 persons) were found to be disabled, irrespective of cause. They were all receiving disability pension.