Subjective cognitive complaints and permanent work disability: a prospective cohort study

Area of Science:

• Occupational health
• Cognitive science
• Disability studies

Background:

• Work disability (WD) involves disability benefits (DB) granted due to health conditions.
• Knowledge-intensive occupations involve complex cognitive tasks.
• Subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) are self-reported difficulties in concentration, memory, thinking, and decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess if subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) predict permanent work disability (WD) in knowledge-intensive occupations.
• To investigate gender differences in the prediction of WD by SCC.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study with up to 7-year follow-up.
• Included 7161 professional/managerial employees, excluding those on long-term sickness absence or already receiving DB.
• Used SCC questionnaire data and registry data on DBs, controlling for age and prior sickness absence.

Main Results:

• Annual incidence of DB was 0.15%, with mental and musculoskeletal disorders being the most common reasons for WD.
• SCC significantly predicted DB in both genders, with hazard ratios of 2.9 for females and 3.7 for males.
• The findings were robust after controlling for age and prior sickness absence.

Conclusions:

• Subjective cognitive complaints are significant predictors of permanent work disability in knowledge workers.
• These findings emphasize the importance of addressing cognitive well-being to prevent work disability.
• Interventions targeting cognitive support may be crucial for employees in demanding cognitive roles.