title: Cohort profile: the Spanish WORKing life Social Security (WORKss) cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The global economy is changing the labour market and social protection systems in Europe. The effect of both changes on health needs to be monitored in view of an ageing population and the resulting increase in prevalence of chronic health conditions. The Spanish WORKing life Social Security (WORKss) cohort study provides unique longitudinal data to study the impact of labour trajectories and employment conditions on health, in terms of sickness absence, permanent disability and death.
  
  
  METHODS
  The WORKss cohort originated from the Continuous Working Life Sample (CWLS) generated by the General Directorate for the Organization of the Social Security in Spain. The CWLS contains a 4% representative sample of all individuals in contact with the Social Security system. The WORKss cohort exclusively includes individuals with a labour trajectory from 1981 or later. In 2004, the cohort was initiated with 1,022 ,79 Social Security members: 840,770 (82.2%) contributors and 182,009 (17.8%) beneficiaries aged 16 and older.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The WORKss cohort includes demographic characteristics, chronological data about employment history, retirement, permanent disability and death. These data make possible the measurement of incidence of permanent disability, the number of potential years of working life lost, and the number of contracts and inactive periods with the Social Security system. The WORKss cohort was linked to temporary sickness absence registries to study medical diagnoses that lead to permanent disability and consequently to an earlier exit from the labour market in unhealthy conditions.
  Thanks to its administrative source, the WORKss cohort study will continue follow-up in the coming years, keeping the representativeness of the Spanish population affiliated to the Social Security system. The linkage between the WORKss cohort and temporary sickness absence registries is envisioned to continue. Future plans include the linkage of the cohort with mortality registries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Center for Research in Occupational Health (CiSAL), Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health, Barcelona, Spain IMIM Parc Salut Mar, Social Epidemiology and Occupational Health Group, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: María Andrée
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: López Gómez
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Center for Research in Occupational Health (CiSAL), Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health, Barcelona, Spain IMIM Parc Salut Mar, Social Epidemiology and Occupational Health Group, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Durán
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Center for Research in Occupational Health (CiSAL), Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain IMIM Parc Salut Mar, Social Epidemiology and Occupational Health Group, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zaballa
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Center for Research in Occupational Health (CiSAL), Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health, Barcelona, Spain IMIM Parc Salut Mar, Social Epidemiology and Occupational Health Group, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sanchez-Niubo
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Center for Research in Occupational Health (CiSAL), Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health, Barcelona, Spain IMIM Parc Salut Mar, Social Epidemiology and Occupational Health Group, Barcelona, Spain Division of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, The University of Texas School of Public Health (UT), Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: George L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Delclos
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Center for Research in Occupational Health (CiSAL), Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health, Barcelona, Spain IMIM Parc Salut Mar, Social Epidemiology and Occupational Health Group, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Fernando G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Benavides
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004651:Employment / Q000191:economics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061213:Mortality, Premature; D010415:Pensions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012042:Registries; D012179:Retirement / Q000191:economics*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012943:Social Security / Q000639:trends*; D013030:Spain; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cohort study; EPIDEMIOLOGY; OCCUPATIONAL & INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE; PUBLIC HEALTH; Record linkage; Social security