Childhood determinants for early psychiatric disability pension: A 10-year follow-up study of the 1987 Finnish Birth Cohort

Abstract

Background:

Mental disorders can affect work ability and lead to early exit from the labour market through disability pension.

Aims:

This study aimed to identify childhood determinants of psychiatric disability pension in early adulthood.

Methods:

The 1987 Finnish Birth Cohort includes a complete census of children born in a single year. The children were followed up from birth until 31 December 2012 using official registers maintained by the Finnish authorities. Risk factors for disability pension were examined in the full 1987 cohort (N = 58,739) and among children who had received mental health care (N = 9,599). Odds ratios were calculated for disability pension due to all mental disorders and separately for schizophrenia, depressive and anxiety and other mental and behavioural disorders in association with childhood determinants.

Results:

Altogether, 1.4% of cohort members had retired due to mental disorders in 2003–2012. In the full 1987 cohort, female sex, parental divorce and social assistance, both mother’s and father’s psychiatric care and mother’s psychiatric disability pension increased the risk for disability pension due to mental disorders. Among children who had received mental health care, risk factors for psychiatric disability pension were father’s psychiatric care and mother’s psychiatric disability pension.

Conclusion:

Childhood determinants were related to the risk of psychiatric disability pension before the age of 25. The risk factors varied by the diagnosis of the disability pension. Using knowledge of this study’s risk factors should enable the identification of adolescents and young adults in general population and especially in the mental health care population who are at greatest risk of receipt of psychiatric disability pension.