Characteristics of individuals registered in the national registries in social medicine departments in Denmark 2012–2022: a descriptive cohort study
Mia Sarah Fischer Button, Line Lund Kårhus, Poul Frost, Jan Renneberg, Janne PetersenIntroduction
Understanding the health and social circumstances of individuals experiencing long-term unemployment is essential for effective welfare and rehabilitation efforts. Social medicine departments are key assessment points in Denmark, yet the characteristics of those they assess remain poorly documented. This register-based study aims to describe the demographic, socioeconomic and health characteristics of individuals registered in national registries in social medicine departments in Denmark.
Methods
The study includes all first-time contacts to social medicine departments from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2022 over 18 years. Individuals were identified through the Danish National Patient Register and the SocMed Capital Region Database. Two matched groups included: Match Group 1, matched on sex, age and residence at a ratio of 1:5, while Match Group 2 was additionally matched on employment status at a ratio of 1:1.
Results
A total of 13 092 individuals were identified in the study population SocMedDep group. The group had a lower educational attainment; notably, 15.4% of the SocMedDep group were employed, compared with nearly 78% in Match Group 1. The SocMedDep group exhibited a higher presence of psychiatric disorders and musculoskeletal disorders than both matched groups. Trends showed a rise in psychiatric diagnoses over time, particularly in the SocMedDep group.
Conclusions
This study highlights the health disparities among individuals referred to social medicine departments in Denmark, showcasing a higher prevalence of mental health issues and prolonged unemployment. The findings indicate a need for targeted intervention reforms in the labour market policies to enhance employment outcomes for individuals with psychiatric and musculoskeletal disorders.