Applicants for disability pensions in the municipality of Tårnby before and after the pension reform of 1984. Social characteristics and abuse of alcohol and drugs
Andersen, J.S.; Ostergård, B.M.; Andersen, P.; Mortensen, E.M.
Ugeskrift for Laeger 151(26): 1687-1690
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0041-5782 PMID: 2781635 Document Number: 346002
One hundred and eighty-eight and 167 first applications for disability pensions in 1981 and 1985 respectively were examined. Social parameters, diagnoses and the occurrence of alcohol and drug abuse were studied. There was a decrease in the number of male applicants and a small increase of female applicants from 1981 til 1985. Unskilled workers were overrepresented. Most applicants had been working within the last two years before the pension was awarded, and generally they had had long job periods. In 1985, had only 27% of the applicants under 50 attempted rehabilitation, and 12% had received social security allowances. The new types of social pensions were mostly awareded to married women of more than 50 years of age. Pensioning caused by a combination of social and health circumstances was rare. Female applicants were generally awarded lower pensions than male applicants. More than half of the diagnoses included mental diseases, diseases of the musculo-skeletal system and disease of the circulation. In 1985, 15% of the applicants were abusers, mainly of alcohol. 50% of male applicants younger than 50 years of age were abusers. The abusers were very disabled.