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Previous sick leaves as predictor of subsequent ones
Ricardo J Reis1, Mireia Utzet, Poliana F La Rocca
1Serviço de Atenção à Saúde do Trabalhador, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health
|February 15, 2011
Summary
Previous sick leave (SL) significantly increases the risk of future episodes, especially for mental health and skin conditions. The number of prior sick leave incidents directly correlates with the likelihood of experiencing new ones.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Previous sick leave (SL) is linked to increased risk of subsequent episodes.
- Limited understanding exists regarding the impact of the number of prior SL episodes on future occurrences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the effect of prior sick leave episodes on the risk of new episodes.
- To assess the influence of prior episodes on the duration of subsequent sick leave, stratified by diagnosis.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study design.
- Involved 1,542 university hospital workers with initial contracts between 2000-2007.
- Analysis of 5,138 sick leave episodes and 21,250 days of absence.
Main Results:
- Recurrence density of sick leave episodes exceeded incidence density across all causes.
- A dose-response relationship was observed: more prior SL episodes led to a higher hazard of new episodes.
- Significantly elevated hazards for new episodes were noted for mental and behavioral disorders (e.g., mood disorders increased risk 21.44 times after one prior SL), skin diseases, and nervous system disorders.
Conclusions:
- Prior sick leave episodes are a significant predictor of future sick leave.
- High recurrence rates for specific diagnoses suggest underlying occupational setting issues requiring investigation.
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