Self-reported mould and long-term sickness absences from work

Area of Science:

• Occupational health
• Environmental health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Long-term sickness absence impacts employee well-being and productivity.
• The relationship between indoor workplace mould and prolonged absences is not well-established.
• Understanding environmental workplace hazards is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between self-reported indoor mould exposure at work and long-term sickness absence.
• To determine if perceived strain from mould exposure modifies this relationship.
• To quantify the impact of mould on sickness absence duration.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a large, representative sample (N=16,084) of the Finnish working-age population.
• Combined data from Finnish Quality of Work Life Surveys (1997-2013) with register-based sickness absence data.
• Employed negative binomial regression modeling to analyze long-term sickness absences (1-3 years post-survey).

Main Results:

• Employees reporting workplace mould had 1.20 times higher rates of long-term sickness absence.
• Perceived strain from mould exposure was associated with 1.30 times higher long-term absence rates.
• 10% reported mould, and 6% reported mould-induced strain in their workplaces.

Conclusions:

• Indoor workplace mould is a significant risk factor for long-term sickness absence.
• Perceived health strain associated with mould exposure amplifies absence rates.
• Mitigating mould exposure and addressing employee concerns are vital for reducing occupational sickness absence.