Lasting Income Costs of Mental and Physical Illness

What are the long-term disposable income losses following a hospital diagnosis of depression, alcohol use disorder, stroke, or breast cancer in Denmark, and how are losses distributed across the population?Among 4 925 341 Danish residents aged 18 to 65 years from 2000 to 2018, all disease populations sustained income losses up to the 10th year after diagnosis, though individuals with a mental disorder experienced the greatest income losses. Some subpopulations, including young males with depression and those receiving welfare benefits, experienced disproportionate harm.Even in a setting with a strong safety net, disease diagnoses during working years can have a sustained impact on income trajectories, especially in the case of mental disorders.

Corresponding Author: Emily K. Johnson, MSc, Danish Centre for Health Economics, University of Southern Denmark, 55 Campusvej, Odense, Denmark 5230 (ejohnson@health.sdu.dk).

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