SICKNESS ABSENTEEISM AMONG EMPLOYEES OF A TEACHING HOSPITAL IN SAUDI-ARABIA

The sickness absence records of workers at the King Khalid University Hospital over a period of two years (1990-1991) were analysed to ident ify the category of workers at high risks. The records of each staff w ho went on 'sick-off' are available at the Employee Health Clinic of t he hospital. There were 861 workers with sickness absence records duri ng the period of study and 86% are expatriates on contract. The preval ence of sickness absence is higher among contract workers than noncont ract workers about 16% and 9% respectively. The sex ratio was 1:2 in f avour of females among contract employees but 1.2:1 in the male's favo ur for the Saudis. The observed sex differential in the rate of sickne ss absence in each occupational group is statistically Significant (P< 0.01). Females have more spells of sickness than males and the duratio n of sickness absence is significantly higher in females. However, the average spell of sickness which is generally low is not different bet ween contract and non-contract workers although slightly higher in the former. There was no significant occupational effect on the spells an d duration of sickness absence. Respiratory infections and diseases of the digestive and musculoskeletal systems are the major diseases caus ing sickness absence. The implications of these findings are discussed in the paper. But for a good monitoring of sickness absence records, a health record surveillance card for each employee is recommended.