Work-family interference and long-term sickness absence: a longitudinal cohort study.

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Sociology of Work
• Gender Studies

Background:

• Work-life interference is a known factor in long-term sickness absence, particularly affecting women.
• Previous research suggests work environment and work-life conflict are key explanations for extended sick leave.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between work-to-family interference (WFI) and family-to-work interference (FWI) and long-term sickness absence.
• To examine these associations across different genders and in various family and work contexts.

Main Methods:

• A random sample of 2867 employed adults in Sweden (aged 25-50) participated.
• Data collected via telephone interviews in 2004, including family, work, and health details.
• Long-term sickness absence (>14 days) in 2005 was determined using social insurance register data; logistic regression was used for analysis.

Main Results:

• Work-to-family interference was reported more frequently than family-to-work interference, and more so by women.
• Overall associations between interference and long-term sickness absence were weak.
• Adjusted analysis revealed WFI was associated with long-term sick leave in high socioeconomic status men (OR 2.87) and showed a trend in women with primary family responsibilities (OR 1.59).

Conclusions:

• Work-to-family interference is associated with long-term sickness absence in the working population.
• The association is gender- and situation-specific, indicating extensive work demands for men and family demands for women can increase sick leave risk.
• Further research is needed to fully understand these complex interactions and their impact on work-life balance and employee health.