Today, about 15% of the population in the European Union is over-indebted. Main causes are unemployment, liberalization of the consumer credit market and the recurrent financial global crises. Since over-indebtedness, an example of severe financial strain, very often results in social exclusion, this means that we are dealing with a new large-scale social problem in Europe.

In this project, the focus is on two problem aspects of  over-indebtedness; (1) the health and quality of life of over-indebted  individuals and families, and (2) mortality and specific death causes  during legal debt settlement.

The first problem aspect has recently been evaluated in Sweden employing a battery of instruments including Short-form 36 Health Survey. In comparison with norm values, obtained scores were markedly decreased as compared to norm values. Low scores such as these, are only rarely found in the normal population, and then usually associated with disability pension, old age and/or severe chronic illness. The results, taken together, suggest severe stress reactions resulting in physical and mental health disintegration. The project work is now proceeding analyzing the contribution to health of demographic background variables and mediating psychological variables such as coping, social support, critical life events, and sense of coherence.

The second problem aspect with a focus on mortality and specific death causes among debtors during debt settlement, is a retrospective register study analyzing a cohort of all Swedish individuals that completed the five-year legal debt settlement procedure in Sweden 2009. Results are in progress.

---------------------------------------------------
Project leader: Richard Ahlström
Co-researchers: Jan Lisspers, Mattias Savemark & Sonya Edström
Funding: FHI, National Institute of Public Health, and KoV,The Swedish Consumer Agency