Social Support as a Predictor of Disability Pension: The Finnish Health 2000 Study - UTU Research Portal

A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Social Support as a Predictor of Disability Pension: The Finnish Health 2000 Study

Authors: Sinokki, Marjo; Hinkka, Katariina; Ahola, Kirsi; Gould, Raija; Puukka, Pauli; Lonnqvist, Jouko; Virtanen, Marianna

Publisher: JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE

Publication year: 2010

Journal: Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Volume: 52

Issue: 7

First page : 733

Last page: 739

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0b013e3181e79525

Abstract

Objective:

Social support at work and in private life was examined as a predictor of disability pension in the population-based Finnish Health 2000 study.

Methods:

Social support was measured in a nationally representative sample comprising of 3414 employees aged 30 to 64 years. Disability pensions extracted from the registers of the Finnish Centre for Pensions were followed up across 6 years.

Results:

Low social support from supervisors was associated with disability pension with an odds ratio of 1.70 (95% confidence interval, 1.21 to 2.38) when adjusted with sociodemographic and health behavior variables. After adjustment for baseline perceived health, the associations between supervisor support and disability pension strongly attenuated.

Conclusions:

Low social support from supervisors predicts forthcoming work disability but the relationship is affected by self-reported nonoptimal health at baseline.