[Factors causing absenteeism due to diseases of the circulatory system: a model analysis]

The rate of absenteeism due to the circulatory system diseases--one of the major causes of work disablement--has largely risen recently. Those diseases constitute a serious health problem within the sickness absenteeism of workers over 40. The presented analysis refers to the impact of the so called non-health-related variables and certain variables indirectly affecting workers' health upon the absenteeism caused by the circulatory system diseases (expressed by the number of absenteeism days annually and average duration of absenteeism case). As investigating tools, multidimensional methods of statistical analysis (multiple regression model) have been used to select the factors bearing a statistically significant effect upon the sickness absenteeism caused by circulatory diseases. The developed models are related to absenteeism of men and women aged 39, over 40 and totally. The results of the analysis demonstrated that both absenteeism of men and women was largely affected by occupational and work-environment-related factors (exposure, worker's affiliation to some working group, piece-work payments). The absenteeism of men over 40 was significantly affected by age, whereas the absenteeism of women was affected by such variables as family "size", and traveling to work. Furthermore, absenteeism caused by circulatory diseases is accounted for by the variables directly determining the health condition, such as health self-estimation and absenteeism rate caused by those diseases prior to the investigation.