[Performance spectrum in occupational disability. Causes--occupational groups--age--duration of insurance]

The causes of disability were elaborated in an extensive study. Accidents, coronary heart disease, diseases of the spine, and orthopedic diseases are the four most common diagnoses and account together for 52.4% of all cases of disability. The incidence of other even rarer diagnoses was shown. The average ages differ from diagnosis to diagnosis. While the average of all cases is at age 45.5 years for the beginning of disability and 9.8 years for the duration period there are diagnoses that lead to disability at an earlier age and after a shorter duration period such as for instance schizophrenia, inflammatory bowel diseases, allergies and skin affections. Heart and circulatory diseases and depressions on the other side occur at a later age and after a longer duration period. At the evaluation of risks special attention should be paid to those causes of early disability since they can turn into a claim after a short duration period and therefore can cause great subsequent costs. Some general statements can be made about occupational groups and causes of disability. Diseases of heart and circulation are rarer in physically active occupations such as construction, agriculture, and industry than in white collar workers and liberal professions. On the other side orthopedic diseases and accidents occur more frequently in construction, industry and agriculture. White collar workers tend to have more psychiatric problems which can be explained with a higher potential of conflicts at work.