Sickness absenteeism and mortality in patients with excessive drinking in somatic out-patient care

In a study of 2114 patients attending somatic outpatient clinics, 208 were classified as excessive drinkers. Sickness benefit days and sickness periods per year, disability pension, and mortality were studied for the years 1981 to 1985. The excessive drinkers as a group had 13 to 27 more sickness days per year than the other patients. They also had more sickness periods and a higher rate of disability pension than patients without alcohol overconsumption. The study thus showed that a group with varying degrees of excessive drinking had an increased need for sickness benefits. The mortality was considerably increased among the excessive drinkers. The patients who had undergone treatment or were registered because of alcohol problems had most sickness benefit days. The excessive drinking patients without advanced alcohol problems did not have more sickness days than the other patients. Most of these patients (75%) were sick-listed without recognition of their excessive drinking by their doctor. This emphasizes the importance, in terms of sickness benefits and mortality, of better identification of patients with excessive drinking.