Health Perception Among Disability Benefit Recipients
Author Information
Author(s): Simon Overland, Nicholas Glozier, John Gunnar Mæland, Leif Edvard Aarø, Arnstein Mykletun
Primary Institution: University of Bergen, Norway
Hypothesis
Self-reported medical conditions and symptoms would account for little of any difference found in perceived health.
Conclusion
Disability benefit recipients have poor perceived health compared to both the employed and the unemployed, with little of this difference explained by their reported illnesses and symptoms.
Supporting Evidence
- Disability benefit recipients scored 1.86 standard deviations lower in perceived physical health than employees.
- Self-reported somatic diagnoses accounted for very little of the difference in perceived health.
- The unemployed had perceived health comparable to the employed, not the disability benefit recipients.
Takeaway
People who get disability benefits feel less healthy than those who work or are unemployed, and this isn't just because of their illnesses.
Methodology
The study used data from the Hordaland Health Study, assessing perceived health through questionnaires and clinical examinations.
Potential Biases
Potential underascertainment of condition severity and circularity between income and employment status.
Limitations
Higher non-response rate among benefit recipients may underestimate differences; reliance on self-reported data could limit accuracy.
Participant Demographics
Participants were aged 40-47, with a mix of genders and educational backgrounds.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95%
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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