Morbidity related to smoking and other risk factors. A population study of disability pension, hospital care and sickness benefit days among middle-aged men in Malmö, Sweden.

In 1969 a cohort of 703 men born in 1914 was screened to determine the prevalence of cardivascular and pulmonary diseases among middle-aged men. Smoking habits and other cardiovascular risk factors were registered. Hypertension was treated. The disability pension rate among non-smokers was considerably lower than that for smokers. Also the proportion of individuals who had been admitted to hospital and the proportion of individuals who had reported sick was lower in non-smokers than in smokers. The ex-smokers showed an intermediate position both in terms of disability pension rate and in proportion of individuals admitted to hospital. High systolic blood pressure, high cholesterol level and high triglyceride values in 1969 were not associated with increased disability pension rate, hospitalization rate or with increased sick leave.