01. tbl 93. árg. 2007
Fræðigrein
Prevalence of disability in Iceland in December 2005
Læknablaðið 2007; 93: 11-4
Objective: To determine the size and main medical and social characteristics of the group of individuals receiving disability benefits in Iceland in December 2005.
Material and methods: The study includes all those receiving disability benefits in Iceland on December 1st 2005 as ascertained by the disability register at the State Social Security Institute of Iceland classified by gender, age and place of residence. Similar information was obtained on the Icelandic population. The prevalence of disability pension was calculated.
Results: On December 1st 2005 the prevalence of disability pension was 8.6% for females (8.0% for the higher and 0.6% for the lower pension level) and 5.5% for males (5.2% for the higher and 0.3% for the lower pension level). For females the prevalence of disability was lower in the capital region than in other regions, but this was not the case for males. The prevalence of disability increased with age. On the whole disability was more common among females than males. Mental and behavioural disorders and diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue were the most prevalent causes of disability.
Conclusion: The prevailing trend over the last decade of increasing disability in Iceland has continued. Iceland appears to lag behind the other Nordic countries in the use of vocational rehabilitation and labour marked activation to prevent disability. Ample opportunities to slow down this trend are therefore available by greater emphasis on such measures.
Correspondence: Sigurður Thorlacius, sigurdth@hi.is
Table I. Distribution of recipients of disability pension in Iceland on December 1st 2005 according to pension level and gender.
Females Males Total
Full disability pension 7767 (59.6%) 5262 (40.4%) 13.029 (100%)
Partial disability pension 619 (66.0%) 319 (34.0%) 938 (100%)
Both pension levels combined 8836 (60.0%) 5581 (40.0%) 13.967 (100%)
Table II. Prevalence of disability pension in Iceland on December 1st 2005 according to pension level and gender.
Females Males
Full disability pension 8.0% 5.2%
Partial disability pension 0.6% 0.3%
Both pension levels combined 8.6% 5.5%
Table III. Prevalence* of disability pension in Iceland on December 1st 2005 according to pension level, gender and place of residence.
Both pension levels Full disability Female:male ratio
combined pension (both pension levels
combined)
Femails Males Femails Males
Place of recidence
Capital region** 8.0 5.7 7.5 5.4 1.40
Other regions 9.7 5.3 8.9 4.9 1.83
Vesturland 7.8 4.1 7.3 3.8 1.90
Vestfirðir 7.1 4.3 6.1 4.0 1.65
Norðurland vestra 10.3 6.4 9.3 6.0 1.61
Norðurland eystra 10.3 6.3 9.2 5.9 1.63
Austurland 7.6 3.3 7.0 3.1 2.30
Suðurland 10.6 6.2 9.8 5.9 1.71
Reykjanes 11.5 5.3 10.8 5.0 2.17
The whole country 8.6 5.5 8.0 5.2 1.56
* Percentage of people 16-66 years of age living in the region December 1st 2005.
** Reykjavík, Seltjarnarnes, Kópavogur, Bessastaðahreppur, Garðabær, Hafnarfjörður, Mosfellsbær, Kjalarneshreppur, Kjósarhreppur.
Table IV. Age specific prevalence* of disability pension in Iceland on December 1st 2005, by gender.
Age in years Both disability pension Full disability
levels combined pension
Females Males Females Males
16-19 1.1 1.4 1.1 1.4
20-24 2.3 2.5 2.0 2.3
25-29 4.0 2.8 3.5 2.5
30-34 5.0 3.4 4.6 3.1
35-39 7.0 4.2 6.4 3.9
40-44 9.1 5.6 8.2 5.2
45-49 10.4 6.5 9.6 6.3
50-54 11.9 7.6 11.0 7.2
55-59 15.7 9.3 14.8 8.8
60-64 22.6 13.6 21.4 13.0
65-66 28.9 17.9 27.8 17.4
16-66 8.6 5.5 8.0 5.2
* Percentage of people 16-66 years of age living in Iceland on December 1st 2005.
Table V. First (main) diagnosis according to the ICD-10* among recipients of disability pension in Iceland December 1st 2005.
Both disability pension Full disability pension
levels combined
Females Males Females Males
Infections 0.6% 0.8% 0.6% 0.7%
Malignant neoplasms 2.1% 1.7% 2.1% 1.6%
Other neoplasms 0.4% 0.2% 0.3% 0.2%
Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases 2.4% 2.4% 2.0% 1.8%
Mental and behavioural disorders 31.3% 40.8% 32.8% 42.6%
Diseases of the nervous system 7.2% 8.7% 7.4% 8.7%
Diseases of the eyes and ears 2.0% 3.1% 1.7% 2.7%
Diseases of the circulatory system 4.0% 8.5% 4.1% 8.6%
Diseases of the respiratory system 2.8% 1.7% 2.9% 1.6%
Diseases of the digestive system 1.0% 0.5% 1.0% 0.5%
Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue 1.0% 0.4% 1.0% 0.4
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and
connective tissue 35.1% 17.3% 34.6% 17.2%
Diseases of the genitourinary system 0.6% 0.4% 0.6% 0.4%
Congenital mal/deformations and chromosomal
abnormalitites 2.3% 3.4% 2.2% 3.3%
Injuries 5.3% 8.8% 4.8% 8.5%
Other diagnoses 1.9% 1.3% 1.9% 1.2
Total 100% 100% 100% 100%
* International classification of diseases (7)