RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 School dropout: a major public health challenge: a 10-year prospective study on medical and non-medical social insurance benefits in young adulthood, the Young-HUNT 1 Study (Norway)
JF Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
JO J Epidemiol Community Health
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 995
OP 1000
DO 10.1136/jech-2011-200047
VO 66
IS 11
A1 Karin A A De Ridder
A1 Kristine Pape
A1 Roar Johnsen
A1 Steinar Westin
A1 Turid Lingaas Holmen
A1 Johan Håkon Bjørngaard
YR 2012
UL http://jech.bmj.com/content/66/11/995.abstract
AB Background School and work participation in adolescence and young adulthood are important for future health and socioeconomic status. The authors studied the association between self-rated health in adolescents, high school dropout and long-term receipt of medical and non-medical social insurance benefits in young adulthood. Methods Self-rated health in adolescence was assessed in 8795 adolescents participating in the Norwegian Young-HUNT Study (1995–1997). Linkages to the National Education Database and the National Insurance Administration allowed identification of school dropout and receipt of long-term medical and non-medical benefits during a 10-year follow-up (1998–2007). The data were explored by descriptive statistics and by multinomial logistic regression. Results A total of 17% was registered as being high school dropouts at age 24. The predicted 5-year risk of receiving benefits between ages 24–28 was 21% (95% CI 20% to 23%). High school dropouts had a 5-year risk of receiving benefits of 44% (95% CI 41 to 48) compared with 16% (95% CI 15 to 17) in those who completed high school (adjusted for self-rated health, parental education and sex). There was a 27% school dropout rate in adolescents who reported poor health compared with 16% in those who reported good health. The predicted 5-year risk of receiving any long-term social insurance benefits in adolescents who reported poor health was 33% (95% CI 30 to 37) compared with 20% (95% CI 19 to 21) in those who reported good health. Conclusion The strong association between poor self-rated health in adolescence, high school dropout and reduced work integration needs attention and suggests preventive measures on an individual as well as on a societal level.