[Health and social insurance in Nordic countries]. / Trygdeordninger i Norden.

BACKGROUND: There is no previous comparative review available of Nordic social insurance schemes for sickness benefits, rehabilitation allowance and disability pensions. METHODS: Based on existing publications, a Nordic expert group in social insurance and insurance medicine has compared important aspects of the Nordic schemes. RESULTS: The Nordic sickness benefit schemes have many similarities, but differ considerably in degree of compensation, with 100% coverage of salary in Denmark and Norway and less coverage in the other three countries. The length of the self certification period varies from 1 to 14 days. Longer sickness absence have to be certified by a doctor, usually the family physician. To counteract the increasing costs for sickness benefits, the follow-up of sick-listed persons is being intensified. Efforts are also directed towards earlier and more extensive medical and vocational rehabilitation. So far these efforts have had only marginal effect on sickness absence and disability pensioning. INTERPRETATION: Basic needs for social security are still met by public insurance schemes in all Nordic countries. Private insurance schemes complement these to varying extent.

Changes in the prevalence of disability pension in Iceland 1976-1996.

AIMS: The objectives were to determine changes in the prevalence of disability pension in Iceland and its distribution according to gender, age, and main diagnoses. METHODS: The study includes all persons receiving either full or partial disability pension in 1976 and 1996. The age-standardized risk ratio between the years 1976 and 1996 was calculated for all disability pensions and for full disability pension only. RESULTS: The prevalence of all disability pensions decreased significantly among both men and women in 1996 as compared with 1976. When the figures were disaggregated, however, theyrevealed an increased risk of full disability pension and a decreased risk of partial disability pension. Th e prevalence of full disability pension had increased in most disease categories. CONCLUSION: The decreased prevalence of disability pension in 1996 as compared with 1976 is noteworthy, as unemployment was increasing during the years immediately preceding 1996. It seems likely, however, that the decrease of partial disability pension and increase of full disability pension is a reflection of increased competition for work in the labour market as well as increased attractiveness of full disability pension due to new supplementary sickness insurance benefits linked to full disability pension.