Disability benefit application in Switzerland : an analysis of linked administrative and survey data

Background: One priority of the European Disability Strategy 2010-2020 was to increase the labor market participation of individuals with disabilities. Switzerland shares this priority: The guiding principle of disability insurance is ‘rehabilitation before pension'. Access to rehabilitation measures to restore, maintain or improve the earning capacity of individuals with disabilities via disability insurance benefit (DB) application is essential. The aim of this study was thus to identify factors associated with DB application in Switzerland. Methods: A novel dataset was created linking survey information from the 2010 Social Protection and Labour Market with administrative data on DB application (2009-2018). Multiple logistic regression was used to examine the association between health-related, demographic and socioeconomic factors and DB application in adults aged 18-55 (N = 18,448). Results: Higher odds of DB application were found for those suffering from long-term health-related activity limitations (OR 2.88; 95% CI 1.29-6.44); born outside of Switzerland (OR 1.75; 95% CI 1.32-2.32); living without a working partner (OR 1.54; 95% CI 1.17-2.02); living without a child aged 0-14 years (OR 1.70; 95% CI 1.29-2.26); aged 18-39 (OR 1.41; 95% CI 1.09-1.83); with an occupation in ‘Manufacturing' (OR 2.75; 95% CI 1.68-4.50), ‘Construction and mining' (OR 2.03; 95% CI 1.13-3.66), ‘Trade and transport' (OR 2.12; 95% CI 1.30-3.45), ‘Business and administration' (OR 1.68; 95% CI 1.03-2.72), and ‘Health, teaching, culture and science' (OR 1.55; 95% CI 1.05-2.29); and renters (OR 1.44; 95% CI 1.07-1.94). No statistically significant association was found between sex or registered unemployment within five years preceding the survey and DB application. Conclusions: This study confirmed limited European evidence suggesting that DB application is more than a health-related phenomenon. However, it presented a less consistent picture on the role of marginalisation in DB application