Psychological symptoms and subsequent sickness absence

Area of Science:

• Occupational health
• Psychiatry
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Mental health issues are linked to increased sickness absence.
• Understanding the specific symptom levels associated with sickness absence is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine which symptoms (distress, depression, anxiety, somatization) and at what levels are associated with sickness absence frequency and duration.
• To investigate potential confounders and effect modifiers in the relationship between mental health symptoms and sickness absence.

Main Methods:

• A survey of 3,678 employees using the Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire (4DSQ) to measure symptoms.
• Analysis of sickness absence data (frequency and duration) over 12 months using Poisson and negative binomial regression.
• Inclusion of confounders and effect modifiers in multivariate analyses.

Main Results:

• Bivariate analyses showed distress, depression, anxiety, and somatization all impacted sickness absence.
• Multivariate analyses indicated distress and somatization were directly associated with sickness absence frequency and duration.
• The impact of depression and anxiety on sickness absence appeared to be mediated by distress and somatization.

Conclusions:

• Distress and somatization are key factors in understanding the relationship between mental health conditions and sickness absence.
• Interventions targeting distress and somatization may be effective in reducing sickness absence in employees.