Occupational morbidity based on social insurance records in Finland

Daily allowances and invalidity pensions were studied in order to identify morbidity differences between different occupational groups. The highest age-standardized number of daily allowances was found in 'industry' (males 257/1 000, females 373/1 000), and the lowest in administration (males 116/1 000, females 170/1 000). The greatest number of new invalidity pensions for males was also in industry (20.3/1 000), and was 2.9 times as high as in administration. The greatest number of invalidity pensions to females was found in agriculture (18.3/1 000), and was 2.8 times as high as administration. These invalidity pension and daily allowances data measure the morbidity, which is closely associated with socio-economic development and the advances made in the insurance system of the country. Occupational differences in invalidity pensions and daily allowances can be affected by differences in working conditions or by differences in social conditions and life style. The morbidity differences are also affected by selection and survival processes. However, there were also real morbidity differences between occupational groups even after adjusting for bias and errors.