BackgroundPrevious studies have found higher employment rates and lower risk of relative poverty among people with chronic illness in the Nordic countries than in the rest of Europe. However, Nordic countries have not been immune to the general rise in poverty in many welfare states in recent decades. This study analysed the trends in poverty risks among a particularly vulnerable group in the labour market: people with limiting-longstanding illness (LLSI), examining the experience of those with and without employment, and compared to healthy people in employment in Sweden, Denmark and the United Kingdom.MethodsCross-sectional survey data from EU-SILC (European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions) on people aged 25–64 years in Sweden, Denmark and the United Kingdom (UK) were analysed between 2005 and 2010. Age-standardised rates of poverty risks (<60% of national median equalised disposable income) were calculated. Odds ratios (ORs) of poverty risks were estimated using logistic regression.ResultsIn all three countries, non-employed people with LLSI had considerably higher prevalence of poverty risk than employed people with or without LLSI. Rates of poverty risk in the UK for non-employed people with LLSI were higher than in Sweden and Denmark. Over time, the rates of poverty risk for Swedish non-employed people with LLSI in 2005 (13.8% CI=9.7-17.8) had almost doubled by 2010 (26.5% CI=19.9-33.1). For both sexes, the inequalities in poverty risks between non-employed people with LLSI and healthy employed people were much higher in the UK than in Sweden and Denmark. Over time, however, the odds of poverty risk among British non-employed men and women with LLSI compared with their healthy employed counterparts declined. The opposite trend was seen for Swedish men: the odds of poverty risk for non-employed men with LLSI compared with healthy employed men increased from OR 2.8 (CIs=1.6-4.7) in 2005 to OR 5.3 (CIs=3.2-8.9) in 2010.ConclusionsThe increasing poverty risks among the non-employed people with LLSI in Sweden over time are of concern from a health equity perspective. The role of recent Swedish social policy changes should be further investigated.

Poor employment and income conditions were found among persons with non-affective psychosis, but the social insurance system seemed to alleviate the poor income conditions. Early and preventative support to encourage employment and income security is needed, which could support recovery.

The article studies social differentials in non-employment among individuals who had been employed in 2001 following hospital admission for musculoskeletal disorders, by gender, educational level, and country of birth, in Stockholm County during 2001-2006. Individually linked population registers on health service use and sociodemographic characteristics were used. Individuals ages 25 to 59, living in Stockholm County and having employment in 2001, were followed until 2006. Annual age-standardized employment rates were calculated for people admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with a musculoskeletal disorder (n = 1,888) and compared to a reference group of others in employment. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to calculate the hazard risks of non-employment in 2006. Both women and men admitted to the hospital had lower age-standardized employment rates compared to the reference group and were at higher risk of non-employment. The hazard risk of non-employment was significantly higher among women and men with short education and among foreign-born individuals. Employment consequences of musculoskeletal disorders seem to be unequally distributed between different social groups, with women, people with short education, and people born outside Sweden more likely to be non-employed.

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This pilot study describes the initial testing of two age-matched questionnaires aiming to measure school children's experiences and satisfaction of services provided by the school health services (SHS) in Sweden. Experiences from the point of view of school children is important to improve services. The methodology followed several steps. First, an expert panel (n=8) selected items based on earlier questionnaires used in healthcare. Second, cognitive interviews with children (n=25) were performed to adjust items to be understood by school children. Finally, the questionnaires (n=144) were distributed and compared. After adjustments to items in both questionnaires the pilot study indicated overall high satisfaction, but there are differences between age groups, where younger children are more positive than older children. Involving children to evaluate and improve SHS is an important consideration. In future studies, such questionnaires need further development to increase the sensibility and reveal further insight.