Avoidable sickness absence in a Dutch working population

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Sickness absence significantly impacts employers and employees, necessitating strategies for reduction.
• Investigating avoidable sickness absence is crucial for mitigating its negative consequences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and quantify avoidable sickness absence among Dutch workers.
• To identify key factors contributing to sickness absence that could be modified.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire was administered to 2,954 Dutch workers, collecting data on sickness absence duration, reasons, work-relatedness, and perceived preventability.
• The avoidable absence fraction (AAF) was calculated for various contributing factors, analogous to population attributable risk.

Main Results:

• A total of 1,233 workers reported sickness absence, with an overall absence rate of 4.46%.
• 15% of workers believed their sickness absence could have been shorter or prevented.
• The study found that 21.5% of the sickness absence rate could possibly be avoided, with work-related factors (AAF=0.136) and home-related factors (AAF=0.129) being significant contributors.

Conclusions:

• Sickness absence rates are potentially reducible by addressing a combination of factors.
• Interventions should consider not only home and work situations but also occupational healthcare and guidance to effectively reduce sickness absence.