Benzodiazepines and related drugs (BZDRs) are widely used in the treatment of anxiety and sleep disorders, but cognitive adverse effects have been reported in long-term use, and these may increase the risk of labor market marginalization (LMM). The aim of this study was to investigate whether the risk of LMM is associated with new long-term BZDR use compared to short-term use.

This register-based nationwide cohort study from Finland included 37,703 incident BZDR users aged 18–60 years who initiated BZDR use in 2006. During the first year of use, BZDR users were categorized as long-term users (≥180 days) versus short-term users based on PRE2DUP method. The main outcome was LMM, defined as receipt of disability pension, long-term sickness absence (>90 days), or long-term unemployment (>180 days). The risk of outcomes was analyzed with Cox regression models, adjusted with sociodemographic background, somatic and psychiatric morbidity, other types of medication and previous sickness absence.

During 5 years of follow-up, long-term use (34.4%, N = 12,962) was associated with 27% (adjusted Hazard Ratio, aHR 1.27, 95% CI 1.23–1.31) increased risk of LMM compared with short-term use. Long-term use was associated with 42% (aHR 1.42, 95% CI 1.34–1.50) increased risk of disability pension and 26% increased risk of both long-term unemployment and long-term sickness absence.

These results indicate that long-term use of BZDRs is associated with increased risk of dropping out from labor market. This may be partly explained by cognitive adverse effects of prolonged BZDR use, which should be taken into account when prescribing BZDRs.

Prior literature has indicated low socioeconomic status (SES) and regional differences as epidemiological risk factors for disability pension (DP) due to mental disorders.

Our studies aimed to examine these associations and differences in greater detail, with separate consideration of the risk factors for mood disorders (F30–39) and non-affective psychotic disorder (F20–29) DP.

Subjects (N = 36 879) were all those granted DP due to a mental disorder for the first time between 2010 and 2015 in Finland. All the subjects were matched with three controls. Education, income and occupational status were used as measures of SES. Conditional logistic regression models were used to study SES differences. Negative binomial regression analysis was used to study the levels of DP risk in the Finnish hospital districts.

DP recipients had low educational and income levels and often lived alone. The risk of DP was greater in white-collar occupational groups compared with blue-collar workers. Students had the greatest risk of DP for all mental and mood disorders. Significant differences in the regional mental disorder DP risks did not appear to follow the traditional Finnish health differences.

We found evidence of SES factors and regional variation associating with mental disorder-related severe loss of working and studying ability in a disorder-specific way. The increased risk of white-collar worker DP could be related to the psychosocially demanding contemporary working life. Regional variation in DP may at least partly relate to differences in regional mental health service systems.

No significant relationships.

Research is scarce on the role of familial factors and previous psychiatric care on the association between suicide attempt and future work incapacity as well as deterioration in mental health. We aimed to investigate the associations between suicide attempt and sickness absence, disability pension and psychiatric patient care and to study the influence of previous psychiatric care and familial factors (genetics and shared environment) on the associations.

The study included 65 097 twins living in Sweden on 31st of December 2006, aged 19–60 years. The twins were followed 2007–2013 regarding sickness absence, disability pension, inpatient care or specialized outpatient care for a mental diagnosis. Cox regression models were performed for the whole sample, and conditional models for discordant twin pairs. The analyses were also stratified by psychiatric care before 2007.

We found that suicide attempt predicted sickness absence, disability pension, and future mental diagnosis among the whole sample. The discordant twin pair analyses showed that the association between suicide attempt and sickness absence or disability pension was influenced by familial factors. Stratified analyses of individuals with or without psychiatric care before 2007 showed that previous psychiatric care had some impact on the associations.

A suicide attempt is a risk factor for work incapacity and psychiatric patient care. Familial factors and previous psychiatric care play a role in the associations between attempting suicide and work incapacity as well as psychiatric patient care. These factors are important when developing measures preventing work incapacity among those with a suicide attempt.

The objective of this population-based register study was (1) to investigate the association between young adults diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and subsequent labour market marginalisation (LMM) in two comparison groups, i.e. matched young adults from the general population without ADHD and unaffected siblings to persons with ADHD and (2) to assess the role of comorbid disorders.

This study included all young adults in Sweden, aged 19–29 years, with an incident diagnosis of ADHD 2006–2011 (n = 9718). Crude and multivariate sex-stratified hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were measured 5 years after the diagnosis of ADHD for the risk of disability pension, long-term sickness absence (SA) (>90 days), long-term unemployment (>180 days) and a combined measure of all three in young adults with ADHD compared to their siblings without ADHD and a matched comparison group.

In the adjusted analyses young adults with ADHD had a 10-fold higher risk of disability pension (HR = 10.2; CI 9.3–11.2), a nearly three-fold higher risk of long-term SA (HR = 2.7; CI 2.5–2.8) and a 70% higher risk of long-term unemployment (HR = 1.7; CI 1.6–1.8) compared to the matched comparison group. The risk estimates were lower compared to siblings for disability pension (HR = 9.0; CI 6.6–12.3) and long-term SA (HR = 2.5; CI 2.1–3.1) but higher in the long-term unemployed (HR = 1.9; CI 1.6–2.1). Comorbid disorders explained about one-third of the association between ADHD and disability pension, but less regarding SA and long-term unemployment.

Young adults with ADHD have a high risk for different measures of LMM and comorbidities explain only a small proportion of this relationship.

The impact of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) on objective indicators of labour market marginalisation has not been quantified.

Linking various Swedish national registers, we estimated the risk of three labour market marginalisation outcomes (receipt of newly granted disability pension, long-term sickness absence and long-term unemployment) in individuals diagnosed with OCD between 2001 and 2013 who were between 16 and 64 years old at the date of the first OCD diagnosis (n = 16 267), compared with matched general population controls (n = 157 176). Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using Cox regression models, adjusting for a number of covariates (e.g. somatic disorders) and stratifying by sex. To adjust for potential familial confounders, we further analysed data from 7905 families that included full siblings discordant for OCD.

Patients were more likely to receive at least one outcome of interest [adjusted HR = 3.63 (95% CI 3.53–3.74)], including disability pension [adjusted HR = 16.36 (95% CI 15.34–17.45)], being on long-term sickness absence [adjusted HR = 3.07 (95% CI 2.95–3.19)] and being on long-term unemployment [adjusted HR = 1.72 (95% CI 1.63–1.82)]. Results remained similar in the adjusted sibling comparison models. Exclusion of comorbid psychiatric disorders had a minimal impact on the results.

Help-seeking individuals with OCD diagnosed in specialist care experience marked difficulties to participate in the labour market. The findings emphasise the need for cooperation between policy-makers, vocational rehabilitation and mental health services in order to design and implement specific strategies aimed at improving the patients’ participation in the labour market.

The aim of this study was to analyse a possible synergistic effect between back pain and common mental disorders (CMDs) in relation to future disability pension (DP).

All 4 823 069 individuals aged 16–64 years, living in Sweden in December 2004, not pensioned in 2005 and without ongoing sickness absence at the turn of 2004/2005 formed the cohort of this register-based study. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for DP (2006–2010) were estimated. Exposure variables were back pain (M54) (sickness absence or inpatient or specialized outpatient care in 2005) and CMD (F40-F48) [sickness absence or inpatient or specialized outpatient care or antidepressants (N06a) in 2005].

HRs for DP were 4.03 (95% CI 3.87–4.21) and 3.86 (95% CI 3.68–4.04) in women and men with back pain. HRs for DP in women and men with CMD were 4.98 (95% CI 4.88–5.08) and 6.05 (95% CI 5.90–6.21). In women and men with both conditions, HRs for DP were 15.62 (95% CI 14.40–16.94) and 19.84 (95% CI 17.94–21.94). In women, synergy index, relative excess risk due to interaction, and attributable proportion were 1.24 (95% CI 1.13–1.36), 0.18 (95% CI 0.11–0.25), and 2.08 (95% CI 1.09–3.06). The corresponding figures for men were 1.45 (95% CI 1.29–1.62), 0.29 (95% CI 0.22–0.36), and 4.21 (95% CI 2.71–5.70).

Co-morbidity of back pain and CMD is associated with a higher risk of DP than either individual condition, when added up, which has possible clinical implications to prevent further disability and exclusion from the labour market.

The aim of the present study was to investigate trajectories of suicide attempt risks before and after granting of disability pension in young people.

The analytic sample consisted of all persons 16–30 years old and living in Sweden who were granted a disability pension in the years 1995–1997; 2000–2002 as well as 2005–2006 (n = 26 624). Crude risks and adjusted odds ratios for suicide attempt were computed for the 9-year window around the year of disability pension receipt by repeated-measures logistic regressions.

The risk of suicide attempt was found to increase continuously up to the year preceding the granting of disability pension in young people, after which the risk declined. These trajectories were similar for women and men and for disability pension due to mental and somatic diagnoses. Still, the multivariate odds ratios for suicide attempts for women and for disability pension due to mental disorders were 2.5- and 3.8-fold increased compared with the odds ratios for men and disability pension due to somatic disorders, respectively. Trajectories of suicide attempts differed for young individuals granted a disability pension during 2005–2006 compared with those granted during 1995–1997 and 2000–2002.

We found an increasing risk of suicide attempt up until the granting of a disability pension in young individuals, after which the risk decreased. It is of clinical importance to monitor suicide attempt risk among young people waiting for the granting of a disability pension.