title: Health in adolescence and subsequent receipt of social insurance benefits – The HUNT Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Long-term illness and work incapacity in young adulthood has consequences for both the individual and for society. The purpose of the study was to investigate the association between adolescent health and receipt of long-term sickness and disability benefits for young adults in their twenties.
  
  
  METHODS
  An adolescent population of 8949 school students (aged 13-21 years) assessed their own health in the Young-HUNT1 Study (1995-1997). Health was measured by means of a questionnaire enquiring about chronic somatic illnesses, somatic symptoms, symptoms of anxiety and depression, sleep disturbance, poor concentration, self-reported health and smoking, and by measuring height and weight. Information about receipt of long-term benefits was retrieved from the FD-Trygd registry for the period 1998-2008 and defined as receipt of sickness benefit (>180 days/year), medical/vocational rehabilitation benefit and disability pension in the age group 20-29 years. We investigated the relationship between adolescent health and long-term social insurance benefits with logistic regression, adjusted for sex, age, follow-up time, mother's education and family composition. Siblings with different exposure and outcome were investigated to adjust for all familial factors shared by siblings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Each of the health measures was associated with an increased risk of long-term benefit. For example, adolescents who reported one or more somatic illnesses or poor concentration had a 5.4 and 3.4 percentage point higher risk, respectively, of receiving long-term benefits at the age of 20-29 years than adolescents who did not report somatic illness or poor concentration. Moreover the risk increased with an increase in the number of health problems. Sibling analyses supported these associations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Health in adolescence is an indicator of increased vulnerability in the transition to the labour market. Preventing health selection during this transition should be a priority for welfare policy.
authors.affiliation: Institutt for samfunnsmedisin Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet og Folkehelseinstitutt, operasjonell administrasjon, folkehelse og overvåking (WIV-ISP) Brussel.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: de Ridder
authors.affiliation: Institutt for samfunnsmedisin Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet.
authors.forename: Kristine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pape
authors.affiliation: HUNT forskningssenter Institutt for samfunnsmedisin Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet og Psykiatrisk poliklinikk Sykehuset Levanger.
authors.forename: Steinar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krokstad
authors.affiliation: Institutt for samfunnsmedisin Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet og Avdeling Brøset - kompetansesenter for sikkerhets-, fengsels- og rettspsykiatri St. Olavs hospital.
authors.forename: Johan Håkon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Bjørngaard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007342:Insurance Benefits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018868:Insurance, Disability / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway; D012042:Registries; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D012737:Sex Factors; D018582:Sick Leave; D012943:Social Security / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult