GENDER TRENDS IN SICK-LISTING WITH MUSCULOSKELETAL SYMPTOMS IN A SWEDISH COUNTY DURING A PERIOD OF RAPID INCREASE IN SICKNESS ABSENCE

Sickness absence and disability pension due to musculoskeletal diagnos es has increased in Sweden. Sweden objective To study gender trends in sickness absence with musculoskeletal diagnoses and its changes in 19 85-87. Design - A prospective population-based study of all new sick-l eave spells exceeding seven days in 1985-87. Sickness absence with ''a ll diagnoses'' was compared to ''all musculoskeletal diagnoses'', the latter group was also divided into three sub-groups. Setting - The cou nty of Ostergotland, Sweden. Participants - Ail sick-leave insured age d 16-65; 107,000 women and 100,000 men. Results - More women than men were sick-listed in ''all diagnoses'' in 1985. There were correspondin g gender differences in sickness absence with musculoskeletal diagnose s except with the diagnosis ''low back pain''. Sick-listing with muscu loskeletal diagnoses increased for both women and men from 1985 to 198 7, but the increase was consistently much higher for women, especially for younger women.