About STODS

In studies of sickness absence and disability pension, we usually consider various aspects of selection— such as selection into different occupations or selection due to different health conditions. Could, for example, varying levels of sickness absence observed in different occupations be attributable to differences in the health status of individuals who enter these jobs? Or could differences in sickness absence be partly explained by differences in vulnerability, at least to some extent, attributable to hereditary factors? 

One elegant and efficient way to address selection in research is to use information collected from a sample of twins. In the STODS project, we use survey data collected by the Swedish Twin Registry (STR) together with health and occupational microdata from several other nationwide registers. By integrating twin research methods in studies on sickness absence and disability pension, the project offers a unique opportunity to better understand how genetic and environmental factors contribute to sickness absence and disability pension.

 Research questions addressed in STODS:

• Risk (and protective) factors for sickness absence and disability pension
• Factors influencing return to work among individuals on sickness absence or disability pension
• Consequences of being sickness absent or on disability pension
• Patterns of sickness absence and disability pension over the life-course including emerging adulthood as well as retirement ages
• Methodological issues relevant to studies of sickness absence and disability pension, including studies based on twin data

The research questions can be investigated both in general and with attention to specific factors including diagnosis, occupation, employment status, and different life stages (e.g., young adults outside the labour market or older individuals staying employed, family formation).

Studies in STODS are based on pseudonymized microdata obtained from several nationwide registers including Statistics Sweden (e.g., LISA), the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (MiDAS), and the National Board of Health and Welfare(e.g., the Cause of Death Register, the National Patient Register, the Prescribed Drug Register) as well as selected survey data on health and lifestyle, previously collected by STR. 

In total, STODS includes data on over 160,000 twins born in Sweden between 1925 and 2006, offering opportunities to study sickness absence and disability pension both retrospectively and prospectively. STODS is an overarching project that encompasses several parallel sub-studies, each focusing on different research questions. We offer opportunities to conduct research within the STODS framework for researchers, PhD students, and master students. For more information, please see the sections “Our Services” and “Access to Data”.

If you are interested in using data from STR to explore research questions unrelated to sickness absence or disability pension, we recommend contacting STR directly.