Are Objective, Official Measures of Disability Reliable?

Arbeitspapier

The issue considered in this study is whether objective, official reports on disability status are reliable. While there is a rather large literature on the reliability of self-reported disability, evidence regarding objective data is scant. It seems to be a widely held view among researchers that, since individuals out of work are inclined to respond towards poor health, it would be best to have official data provided by the relevant administrative bodies. But we argue that such administrative data should be regarded with some suspicion, since the administrators also may have incentives to misreport. The empirical evidence, based on a large sample of Swedish jobseekers, suggests systematic misreporting by the Public Employment Service of objective, official disability measures due to incentives to exaggerate disability.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IUI Working Paper ; No. 643

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Health Behavior ; Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy ; Mobility, Unemployment, and Vacancies: Public Policy
• Subject: Work Disability ; Classification Error ; Public Employment Service ; Erwerbsunfähigkeit ; Arbeitsvermittlung ; Statistische Methode ; Schweden ; Statistischer Fehler

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Johansson, Per ; Skedinger, Per
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): The Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IUI)
• (where): Stockholm
• (when): 2005

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/81182
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET