Certified sick leave as a non-specific morbidity indicator: a case-referent study among nurses

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Nursing Research
• Public Health

Background:

• Medically certified sick leave is a significant issue in healthcare settings.
• Understanding the occupational factors contributing to sick leave is crucial for nurse well-being and healthcare system efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between medically certified sick leave and occupational characteristics among nurses.
• To identify specific workload indices and work environment factors related to sick leave episodes.

Main Methods:

• A case-referent study design was employed.
• Participants included nurses from seven general hospitals in Québec City.
• Data were collected via employment records and administrative files, with analysis using multiple logistic regression.

Main Results:

• Significant associations were found between sick leave and nurse-patient ratio, patient duration of stay, and specific hospitals.
• Full-time permanent nurses, and those on night and evening shifts, reported more sick leave.
• These associations remained significant after controlling for age, service duration, and care unit.

Conclusions:

• Medically certified sick leave in nurses is associated with workload indicators.
• Sick leave can serve as a non-specific but relevant indicator of occupational health outcomes in nursing.
• The findings support the need for interventions to mitigate workload-related health issues among nurses.