A literature review on sick leave determinants (1984-2004) (original) (raw)
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Measuring sick leave: a comparison of self-reported data on sick leave and data from company records
Occupational Medicine, 2002
The objective of this study was to compare sick leave data obtained from questionnaires with data from company records. During a period of 12 months, questionnaires were completed monthly for 6 months and then at 9 and 12 months. The sensitivity and specificity of questionnaires for detecting an episode of sick leave were determined, using the company records as a reference standard. In addition, the duration of sick leave episodes reported in the two data sets was compared. In this analysis, company records were not assumed to be superior, and agreement was assessed with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). The sensitivity of questionnaires for detecting an episode of sick leave was 55% (95% CI = 0.50-0.60) and the specificity 83% (95% CI = 0.72-0.94). The ICC for all episodes was 0.58 (95% CI = 0.47-0.67). The only satisfactory ICC (0.87; 95% CI = 0.74-0.93) was found for the questionnaires at 9 and 12 months. No large systematic differences were found between the duration of episodes reported in the two data sets. In conclusion, in our study, the sensitivity of questionnaires for detecting an episode of sick leave was very low. Furthermore, when episodes were recalled, there was little agreement on the duration of the episode between questionnaire data and data in the company records. Based on these results and considering the risk of missing questionnaires, data on sick leave gathered from company records are clearly preferable as an outcome measure in research.
How to measure sickness absence? Literature review and suggestion of five basic measures
Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 1998
Furthermore, statistical problems in the study of suggestion of five basic measures. G. Hensing1, K. sick-leave have been highlighted in some studies Alexanderson1, P. Allebeck2 and P. Bjurulf1 (1Department (11, 12), and comments upon the skewed distribution of Health and Environment, Section of Preventive and of sick-leave data have been made (1, 5). This Social Medicine, 2Department of Social Medicine, Gö teborg problem is related to the requirement of normal University, Gö teborg, Sweden). distribution upon which most statistical tests are Scand J Soc Med 1998, 2 (133-144). based. These statistical problems will not be dealt Objective -To examine different sick-leave measures used with in this study. in sickness absence research, and to suggest a systematic Very little attention has been devoted to the way of assessing sickness absence. implications of different quantitative measures of Methods -A review and analysis of five major studies on sick-leave, such as sick-leave days or sick-leave spells, sick-leave performed 1983-1988 with an epidemiological for the identification of risk factors and the interapproach. pretation of other findings in studies on sick-leave. Results -Terminology and measures used varied in the Gaudet found 41 measures of sickness absence in an different studies reviewed. The choice of a certain measure early review of sickness absence studies (13). In a was seldom discussed in relation to the aim of the study. thorough review of definitions, terminology and Based on the review five measures are suggested: frequency, measures in sickness absence research of ''sickness length, incidence rate, cumulative incidence and duration. certification'' research Tellnes found 11 measures The definition of incidence rate is new and is a measure (14). He conludes that ''none of the reviewed studies useful in studies of recurrent events within epidemiology. Conclusions -We have reviewed sick-leave measures previ-of 'sickness certification' have discussed the reliability ously used in the literature and suggested five basic measures or validity of the measurements used.'' for assessing sick-leave.
BMC Public Health, 2014
Background: As the number of studies on the future situation of sickness absentees still is very limited, we aimed to investigate the association between number of sick-leave days and future all-cause and cause-specific mortality among women and men. Methods: A cohort of 2 275 987 women and 2 393 248 men, aged 20-64 years in 1995 was followed 1996-2006 with regard to mortality. Data were obtained from linked authority-administered registers. The relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of mortality with and without a 2-year wash-out period were estimated by multivariate Poisson regression analyses. All analyses were stratified by sex, adjusting for socio demographics and inpatient care. Results: A gradually higher all-cause mortality risk occurred with increasing number of sick-leave days in 1995, among both women (RR 1.11; CI 1.07-1.15 for those with 1-15 sick-leave days to RR 2.45; CI 2.36-2.53 among those with 166-365 days) and men (RR 1.20; CI 1.17-1.24 to RR 1.91; CI 1.85-1.97). Multivariate risk estimates were comparable for the different causes of death (circulatory disease, cancer, and suicide). The two-year washout period had only a minor effect on the risk estimates. Conclusion: Even a low number of sick-leave days was associated with a higher risk for premature death in the following 11 years, also when adjusting for morbidity. This was the case for both women and men and also for cause-specific mortality. More knowledge is warranted on the mechanisms leading to higher mortality risks among sickness absentees, as sickness certification is a common measure in health care, and most sick leave is due to diagnoses you do not die from.
Influence of Work Type on Sickness Absence among Personnel in a Teaching Hospital
Journal of Occupational Health, 2002
, and analysed using descriptive statistics and negative binomial regression. Doctors and nurses recorded lower rates of short-term sickness absence (< 3 d) than other workers. Doctors also recorded the lowest rate of long-term absence (≥ 3 d), whereas other medical personnel and manual workers had higher rates of long-term sickness absence than other workers. These differences were only slightly influenced by sex, age and marital status. Rates of shortterm sickness absence were higher in males, older and married personnel. A higher grade of employment was associated with lower sickness absence, both short-and long-term, and accounted for much of the actual differences among work types. Nevertheless, significant differences across work type remained after adjustment for socio-demographic and other work-related variables. The findings of this study would provide new baseline information regarding sickness absence patterns among hospital staff in this particular setting, but there is still a need to distinguish among the true reasons for reported sickness absence, particularly short-term absence, in order to set up an appropriate health promotion programme among the staff of this hospital.
International journal of occupational medicine and environmental health, 2008
Regional differences in sick leave frequency and duration determinants were studied between different professions (sale and cleaning) in different regions in the Netherlands (Utrecht and South Limburg) and the influence of socio-cultural factors on those determinants was explored. Employees in Utrecht and South Limburg were interviewed on work, individual and health characteristics. Sick leave data were obtained from the social fund. A statistic comparison of sick leave frequency and duration figures between the two professions in the two regions showed that for a part similar, and for another part different determinants were associated with sick leave. In Utrecht, socio-cultural influence was assumed for the perception of autonomy and in South Limburg for health complaints. As a consequence, nationwide interventions to reduce sick leave should take into account the potential effects of sociocultural factors on the type of sick leave determinants that predict sick leave per region.
Background:Previous studies have shown that demographic, social, and work-related factors can influence sick-leave rates among healthcare workers. In this multivariable study, we evaluated potential predictors of sick leaves among the employees of a tertiary medical center in Lebanon between the years 2015 and 2018.Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of sick leave records of the population of healthcare workers who took sick leave between 2015 and 2018. The records included a large sample size of 2,850 employees. Descriptive statistics were run, and the number of sick leave episodes was stratified by sick leave diagnosis. Bivariate analysis was done to investigate the association of the outcome with all predictors. To identify potential predictors of sick leave episodes, a multiple linear regression was conducted, and a p-value<0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:Infectious diseases and musculoskeletal disorders diagnoses accounted for the highest n...
BMC Health Services Research, 2014
Background: Several studies have shown considerable differences in the way that physicians prescribe sick leave. The aim of this study was to examine the sick leave prescribing practices of occupational health care physicians and factors affecting these practices. Methods: A questionnaire study with 19 hypothetical patient cases was conducted among 356 Finnish occupational health care physicians. The effects of both physician-related and local structural background variables on sick leave prescribing were studied using regression models. Economic consequences of the variation in sick leave prescribing were estimated. Results: When the cases were considered individually, the variation in prescribed sick leave days was relatively small. However, when considered together, variation in prescribing practice became apparent. On average, the overall number of days of sick leave prescribed for the entire group of 19 patient cases was 85.8, varying between 21 and 170 days. The physicians working at a public health center and those with more than 20 years experience as an occupational health physician tended to prescribe more days of sick leave than others. The quartile of physicians who prescribed the fewest days of sick leave would have resulted in mean production losses (17,100 euro, 95% CI 16,400-17,700) that were half those in the quartile with the most days of sick leave (34,800 euro, 95% CI 33,600-35,900). Conclusions: There was variation in the sick leave prescribing practices of occupational health care physicians. The most significant factor affecting this variation was the health care sector (public, private or employer clinic) employing the physicians. Variation in sick leave prescribing patterns can lead to inequality between patients.
Chapter 9. Consequences of being on sick leave
Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 2004
The possible consequences of sick leave can be measured at different levels in society. This chapter focuses on the consequences from the perspective of the sick-listed individual. Sick leave may have both positive and negative consequences for the individual, e.g. regarding disease, health, working life, social life, lifestyle, and emotional aspects. Some of these factors have been investigated in different studies. However, scientific evidence is insufficient since there are too few studies on the consequences of sickness absence and disability pension. The lack of relevant studies is the most striking observation from the review of studies on the consequences of being sick listed.