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RESEARCH PRODUCT

CHILDHOOD ADVERSITIES AND HOME ATMOSPHERE AS DETERMINANTS OF DISABILITY AND UNEMPLOYMENT PENSION

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Childhood adversities have been linked with adverse life events, but less is known about the long-term effects of childhood home atmosphere in terms of work career. We investigated whether childhood adversities and home atmosphere were associated with disability or unemployment pension. In the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study (born 1934–44), 2001 cohort members had data available on 9 childhood home atmosphere items e.g. whether it was supportive or warm (sum score 0–36, higher score indicating more favorable atmosphere), and 9 childhood adversities e.g. unemployment, parent’s long-term illness or divorce (sum score 0–9, coded into no; one; and two or more) assessed in 2001–04. Of those, 1528 had data on type and time of retirement provided by the Finnish Centre for Pensions. Adjustments were made for childhood and adult socioeconomic status, adult lifestyle factors, and chronic diseases. Between 1971 and 2011, 21.0% transitioned into disability, 16.7% into unemployment, 20.2% into part-time, and 42.1% into old age pension. A higher home atmosphere score was associated with a lower hazard of disability pension, fully adjusted hazard ratio (HR) being 0.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.96, 0.99 per one unit higher home atmosphere score. Those who had experienced two or more childhood adversities had a higher hazard of unemployment pension compared to those with no adversities, fully adjusted HR being 1.60, 95% CI 1.18, 2.19. Childhood adversities and home atmosphere might have long-term effects on the length of the work career and retirement.