Swedish Twin project of Disability pension and Sickness absence (STODS)

The STODS project follows a large twin cohort over a long period of time with regard to sickness absence and disability pension. The project provides unique opportunities to investigate the importance of hereditary factors for differences in sickness absence.

Photo: Hannah Busing, Unsplash

About STODS

The purpose of STODS is to increase knowledge about risk factors for, and possible consequences of, being sickness absent or on disability pension. With data from twins, we can examine the importance of various contributing factors for sickness absence after controlling for heredity and childhood environment. It is also possible to study how heredity and environment contribute to individual differences in sickness absence.

Nationwide data on twins

STODS includes data on about 120,000 twins identified in the Swedish Twin Registry. Microdata on sickness absence, morbidity and demographics from several nationwide registers at Statistics Sweden, the National Board of Health and Welfare and the Social Insurance Agency are included for all twins for the period 1990 to 2023. In addition, survey data on work, behaviour and health is included. The survey data has been collected previously by STR at different times and for different age groups.

Access to data

We welcome research collaborations within the framework of the project. Researchers are welcome to apply for STODS data for sub-studies related to sickness absence and and/or disability pension.

Information about access to STODS data is available on the Karolinska Institutet website

STODS also offers advice and support on ordering and managing administrative register data for research purposes.

Advice on ordering and handling data