OCCUPATIONAL HISTORY, SELF REPORTED CHRONIC ILLNESS, AND MORTALITY - A FOLLOW UP OF 25586 SWEDISH MEN AND WOMEN

The aim of the study was to analyse the extent to which mortality can be predicted from data on self assessed chronic illness. The study used data obtained from ongoing surveys of living conditions conducted by Statistics Sweden using annual interviews of cohorts of about 8000 people. The study was a population based survey of the whole of Sweden. The analysis involved a group of 25,586 respondents (males 12,812, females 12,774), aged 25-74 years, interviewed in 1977 and 1979-81. Mortality and occupational health selection were analysed in different occupational categories. The association between mortality and self reported morbidity was assessed. Level of physical strain at work was associated with mortality in men. Occupational health selection could be detected for men but not for women when mortality from all causes was investigated. Self assessment of health predicted mortality. Subjective assessments of health through surveys are valuable as predictors of mortality for both men and women.