Factors Related to Disability Pensions – A Cross-Sectional Analysis From A University Hospital In Istanbul

Introduction

Mental disorders are one of the leading reasons for disability-related retirement and payment of associated long-term benefits in many countries.

Objectives

To explore the characteristics of psychiatric outpatients who apply for disability pensions and to investigate the factors associated with making an application.

Methods

A four-month cross-sectional evaluation of disability pension and retirement applications to the psychiatry outpatient clinic in a university hospital in Istanbul.

Results

The majority of 144 patients were male (n = 102, 70.8%), based in Istanbul, married, living with their families and had no occupation at the time of inquiry. Excluding applications for individuals with a diagnosis of intellectual disability (n = 44), most applicants were primary school graduates (n = 31, 32.3%). For the whole group, the median age of application was 34. 60%, (n = 87) had an established psychiatric diagnosis before the application, with average duration since diagnosis of approximately 8 years. The most frequent diagnoses were intellectual disability, followed by schizophrenia and depression. More than half of the patients were treated only outpatiently, with no hospitalization (n = 55, 58%). Thirty-two of them (22.4%) had a comorbid psychiatric diagnosis and 58 (40.3%) had at least one comorbid medical diagnosis.

Conclusions

There are some similarities between our findings and findings from other countries, such as low educational level and frequent comorbid somatic diseases among patients applying for disability pension. In contrast with the literature and as an indicator of social inequality, most patients applied for disability pension were male. The results are reflecting the specificities of different health systems and cultural perceptions of disability.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Illicit substance use among university students from seven European countries: a comparison of personal and perceived peer use and attitudes towards illicit substance use

OBJECTIVE

To compare European students' personal use and approval of illicit substance use with their perceptions of peer behaviours and attitudes, and investigate whether perceptions of peer norms are associated with personal use of illicit substances and attitudes.

METHOD

This study used baseline data from the Social Norms Intervention for the prevention of Polydrug usE (SNIPE) project involving 4482 students from seven European countries in 2012. Students completed an online survey which included questions on personal and perceived peer illicit substance use and personal and perceived peer attitude towards illicit substances.

RESULTS

8.3% of students reported having used illicit substances at least once in their life. 49.7% of students perceived that the majority of their peers have used illicit substances more frequently than themselves. The perception was significantly associated with higher odds for personal illicit substance use (OR: 1.97, 95% CI: 1.53-2.54). The perception that the majority of peers approve illicit substance use was significantly associated with higher odds for personal approval of illicit substance use (OR: 3.47, 95% CI: 2.73-4.41).

CONCLUSION

Students commonly perceived that their peers used illicit subtances more often than themselves. We found an association between the perceived peer norms/attitudes and reported individual behaviour/attitudes.