HOSTILITY AND REGISTERED SICKNESS ABSENCES - A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES

Background. Prior evidence on the relationship between hostility and m inor health problems is limited to cross-sectional self-report studies . In the present study, this relationship was examined prospectively. Methods. Hostility of 1077 municipal employees was measured by a quest ionnaire survey and minor health problems by using 4-year register-bas ed absence data including medically certificated diagnoses. Results. H igh hostility predicted a high total number of long-term sickness abse nce spells among men, but not among women. In separate diagnostic cate gories (musculo-skeletal, traumas and injuries, respiratory), hostilit y related positively and linearly to absences due to traumatic causes and curvilinearly (U-shape) to absences due to musculo-skeletal causes . Controlling the effects of health risk behaviour and demographic bac kground did not significantly change these figures. However, health ri sk behaviour moderated the relations of hostility to overall long-term sickness absences, and to traumatic and musculo-skeletal absences, be ing significantly stronger in high-risk groups. No association was fou nd between hostility and non-certificated short-term absence spells.