Divorce is especially prevalent among those with illnesses that involve personality change or physical handicap. It is also likely that family problems associated with divorce may cause stress-related illness that results in hospitalization. Individuals with long-term illnesses are at a disadvantage in the labour market. This applies above all to the physically handicapped. Long-term illness is also associated with poorer finances and weaker social networks.
Physical handicap involves higher living costs that are only partly compensated by social benefits.
It is also evident that social programmes have not succeeded in providing compensation to the mentally ill for all the negative consequences of their conditions. To summarize the current situation in Sweden for the ill and the physically handicapped, it may be said that they have lower economic and social standing than those who enjoy good health. The incidence of social problems is strongly correlated with age. The problems of young people are frequently related to their financial situations, while those of older people are more often related to health. The incidence of social problems is influenced by such key factors as education level, family situation, country of origin, etc.