P. Eshoj et al., Long-term sickness absence - risk indicators among occupationally active residents of a Danish county, OCCUP MED-O, 51(5), 2001, pp. 347-353
This study aims to identify risk factors and their prevalence in long-term
sickness absence. The study is designed as a case-referent study which comp
rises 481 participants who have experienced a sickness absence lasting >10
weeks and a reference group of 1326 individuals in active employment. Multi
variate analysis identified the following significant risk factors for men:
(i) age >50 years [odds ratio (OR) = 2.4]; (ii) short period of education
(OR = 2.3); (iii) unemployment within the last 3 years (OR = 1.7); (iv) hea
vy-duty work (OR=2.1); (v) monotonous, repetitive work (OR = 1.7); (vi) lac
k of job satisfaction (OR = 2.1); and (vii) much back pain during the last
3 years (OR = 2.1). The following risk factors were identified for women: (
i) leaving school without graduation (OR = 2.6); (ii) unemployment within t
he last 3 years (OR = 1.5); (iii) heavy-duty work (OR = 2.8); (iv) lack of
influence on own job situation (OR = 2.1); and (v) much back pain within th
e last 3 years (OR = 1.8). It is concluded that the identification of worki
ng environment risk factors constitutes a case for improvement of the worki
ng environment which may be instrumental in reducing long-term sickness abs
ence.