SICK-LEAVE AND DISABILITY PENSIONS AMONG FEMALE ASSEMBLY WORKERS

Sick-leave in 1984-1989 was higher in 269 women with industrial work I nvolving repetitive movements (total 76,540 days), than in 290 referen ts with varying work tasks (26,421 days). The medians of the individua l ratios of the observed number of days of illness versus expected (ac cording to background population) were 1.26 and 0.24 respectively. Sic k-leave with diagnoses in the musculoskeletal system dominated in the exposed group, particularly for neck/shoulders (5.3 versus 0.6% of obs erved time, p<0.001) and arms/hands (2.4 versus 0.5%, p<0.001). Women leaving for new jobs had, during the exposed employment, a higher sick -leave than those who stayed ('healthy worker selection'), and afterwa rds lower sick-leave. The risk of disability pensioning 1980-1989 (obs erved/expected: 2.8 versus 0.7) was also higher among exposed women. R epetitive, industrial work causes extensive suffering and huge costs. Preventive measures are urgently needed.