Finnish Centre for Pensions (ETK), Eläketurvakeskus, 00065 Helsinki, Finland.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Apr 27;18(9):4618. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18094618.
The incidence of disability retirement in Finland has sharply decreased over the last ten years. At the same time, the share of fixed-term pensions has increased to cover more than half of all new disability pensions. This study examined the efficiency of fixed-term disability pensions under these changing circumstances with the aim of addressing the following research questions: are fixed-term disability pensions more often converted to permanent pensions, and how have the changes affected return to work? The study was based on register data of Finnish residents aged 25-62 whose fixed-term disability pension started in 2006 ( = 10,177) or 2015 ( = 7918). Of the fixed-term disability pensions starting in 2006, 58 percent were converted to a permanent disability pension within the next four years. In 2015, the corresponding figure was 41 percent. Return to work increased from 24 to 30 percent. In addition, ending up in some other state (most often unemployment) increased, and, more often, fixed-term disability pensions continued for more than four years. Transferring to a permanent disability pension decreased more among the younger, those with a lower education, and those suffering from mental disorders. The results were not notably affected by changes in the characteristics of fixed-term disability pension recipients (e.g., demographic and occupational characteristics and rehabilitation) or the selection of applicants into a fixed-term or a permanent pension. Return to work increased more among men, the older age groups, those with a fixed-term disability pension due to somatic diseases, and those who had received vocational rehabilitation. Adjusting for the composition of fixed-term disability pensioners increased the differences between the study years, and controlling for the selection into a fixed-term pension further widened the differences. In conclusion, a decreasing proportion of fixed-term disability pensions are converted to permanent pensions, but this is only partly reflected in increased return to work. Further efforts are needed to support work resumption after a fixed-term disability pension to avoid the situation where people drop out from disability pension but are resting on unemployment and other benefits.
在过去的十年中，芬兰的残疾退休人数急剧下降。与此同时，定期抚恤金的份额增加到覆盖超过一半的新残疾抚恤金。本研究在这些变化的情况下检查了定期残疾抚恤金的效率，旨在解决以下研究问题：定期残疾抚恤金是否更经常转换为永久性抚恤金，以及这些变化如何影响重返工作岗位？该研究基于芬兰 25-62 岁居民的登记数据，这些居民的定期残疾抚恤金于 2006 年（=10177）或 2015 年（=7918）开始。在 2006 年开始的定期残疾抚恤金中，58%在接下来的四年内转换为永久性残疾抚恤金。在 2015 年，相应的比例为 41%。重返工作岗位的比例从 24%增加到 30%。此外，进入其他状态（通常是失业）的人数增加，而且定期残疾抚恤金通常会持续四年以上。在年龄较小、受教育程度较低和患有精神障碍的人中，转为永久性残疾抚恤金的人数减少。这些结果在固定期限残疾抚恤金接受者的特征（例如人口统计学和职业特征和康复）或申请人选择固定期限或永久性养老金方面没有明显受到影响。在男性、年龄较大的群体、因躯体疾病而获得定期残疾抚恤金的人和接受职业康复的人中，重返工作的人数增加更多。调整定期残疾抚恤金领取者的构成增加了研究年份之间的差异，控制选择固定期限抚恤金进一步扩大了差异。总之，定期残疾抚恤金转换为永久性抚恤金的比例下降，但这仅部分反映在重返工作岗位的增加。需要进一步努力支持固定期限残疾抚恤金后的工作恢复，以避免人们从残疾抚恤金中退出，但却在失业和其他福利上休息的情况。
