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Ulf Gerdtham. Photo.

Ulf Gerdtham

Professor

Ulf Gerdtham. Photo.

Why childhood-onset type 1 diabetes impacts labour market outcomes : a mediation analysis

Author

  • Sofie Persson
  • Gisela Dahlquist
  • U. G. Gerdtham
  • Katarina Steen Carlsson

Summary, in English

Aims/hypothesis: Previous studies show a negative effect of type 1 diabetes on labour market outcomes such as employment and earnings later in life. However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying these effects. This study aims to analyse the mediating role of adult health, education, occupation and family formation. Methods: A total of 4179 individuals from the Swedish Childhood Diabetes Register and 16,983 individuals forming a population control group born between 1962 and 1979 were followed between 30 and 50 years of age. The total effect of having type 1 diabetes was broken down into a direct effect and an indirect (mediating) effect using statistical mediation analysis. We also analysed whether type 1 diabetes has different effects on labour market outcome between the sexes and across socioeconomic status. Results: Childhood-onset type 1 diabetes had a negative impact on employment (OR 0.68 [95% CI 0.62, 0.76] and OR 0.76 [95% CI 0.67, 0.86]) and earnings (−6%, p < 0.001 and −8%, p < 0.001) for women and men, respectively. Each of the mediators studied contributed to the total effect with adult health and occupational field accounting for the largest part. However, some of the effect could not be attributed to any of the mediators studied and was therefore likely related to other characteristics of the disease that hamper career opportunities. The effect of type 1 diabetes on employment and earnings did not vary significantly according to socioeconomic status of the family (parental education and earnings). Conclusions/interpretation: A large part of the effect of type 1 diabetes on the labour market is attributed to adult health but there are other important mediating factors that need to be considered to reduce this negative effect.

Department/s

  • Health Economics
  • Centre for Economic Demography
  • Department of Economics
  • EpiHealth: Epidemiology for Health

Publishing year

2018

Language

English

Pages

342-353

Publication/Series

Diabetologia

Volume

61

Issue

2

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Springer

Topic

  • Endocrinology and Diabetes
  • Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology

Keywords

  • Children
  • Education
  • Inpatient care
  • Mediation analysis
  • Occupation
  • Outpatient care
  • Sickness benefits
  • Type 1 diabetes

Status

Published

Research group

  • Health Economics

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0012-186X