About IMAS

Aspects studied include:

• Risk factors for sickness absence and disability pension
• Factors influencing return to work or other activities among individuals on sick leave or receiving disability pension
• Consequences of being on sick leave or receiving disability pension
• Changes in the above over time
• Methodological issues in research on sickness absence and disability pension, such as how different measures can yield different results

These aspects can be studied in general, or in relation to specific diagnoses, occupational groups or employment situations, and life circumstances (e.g., older individuals in the workforce, migrants, young adults).

The analyses are based on pseudonymized microdata linked from over 20 nationwide registers administered by Statistics Sweden (e.g., LISA, ULF, FAD), the National Board of Health and Welfare (e.g., the Patient Register, the Prescribed Drug Register, the Cause of Death Register), the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (e.g., MiDAS), and Region Stockholm (e.g., the Swedish MS-Register, VAL). The project includes eight population-based cohorts, encompassing approximately 14 million individuals, followed over time both retrospectively and prospectively. Ethical approval has been granted for the inclusion of an additional cohort.

A key strength of the IMAS project lies in its ability to link data from multiple domains – such as healthcare, public insurance, working life, education, and economy –offering a comprehensive, longitudinal perspective on individuals’ life situation, health trajectories, and labor market integration. The large volume of data enables the examination of rare exposures and outcomes that would otherwise be difficult to study. Since register data are collected for administrative purposes by various authorities, independently of participants’ direct involvement, the risk of dropout and response bias are minimized, thereby strengthening the reliability of the findings. These advantages mark IMAS as a highly effective and versatile resource for advancing our understanding of complex relationships and generating deeper insights to inform preventive measures, support interventions, and evidence-based policy development.

IMAS is an overarching project encompassing several parallel sub-studies, where the extensive data foundation serves as a long-term research platform. We offer opportunities for interested researchers, PhD candidates, and master’s students to conduct sub-studies within the framework of the IMAS project.

Do you want to know more about how to conduct a sub-study within IMAS? Read more under the sections “Our Services ” and “Access to Data.”