RHP&EO is the electronic journal of the International Union for Health Promotion and Education

A Moderate Alcohol Intake Is Related To Low risk Of Disability Pension

Nils-Ove Mfinsson, Lennart Rfistam, Karl-Fredrik Eriksson and Bo Israelsson

Department of Community Medicine, Lund University, University Hospital MAS, S-205 02 Malmo, Sweden

Purpose

In a number of previously conducted investigations, moderate alcohol consumption have been reported to have a positive effect on morbidity and mortality. So far, however, no studies have investigated the consequences of this for the risk of early retirement. The aims of this study was, therefore, to assess the relation between alcohol consumption and the risk of disability pension.

Methods

At the Department of Preventive Medicine, University Hospital MAS, Malmo, Sweden, a prospective study on 3751 male residents in Malmo was carried out, in which possible effects of alcohol consumption with respect to the risk of future disability pension was studied. After a baseline screening in the mid-seventies, when the men were 47-49 years old, each subject was followed until the end of the calendar year when he turned 58, i.e. a total study period of approximately 11 years. A questionnaire used in the health examination included a modified version of the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST) and several blood-tests were analysed, e.g. serum gamma glutamyl transferase (S-GT).

Results

Of the 498 men, granted disability pension during follow up, 48 stated to be teetotallers. The ratio of disability pensions among teetotallers was 19% and among men with low and high alcohol consumption, 12 and 16% respectively. The adjusted relative risk for acquiring a disability pension (using the group with low alcohol consumption as reference) was 1.8 (CI' 1.3, 2.4) among abstainers and 1.3 (CI: 1.1, 1.6) among men with high alcohol consumption. Perceived health did not differ between abstainers and drinkers and teetotallers were granted their disability pensions later than subjects with high MAST-scores.

Discussion

Compared with light or moderate drinkers, the relative risk for abstainers and subjects with high alcohol consumption acquiring a disability pension was significantly higher, also after considering possible confounders e.g. smoking, hypertension and body mass index. Perceived health and age at pension did not indicate any differences, e.g. in premorbidity, between abstainers and drinkers. Thus: A moderate alcohol intake was related to low risk of disability pension. These findings could have bearings for health policies.

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