Sickness Presenteeism and Psychosocial Risk Factors According to Inequality Axes

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Psychosocial Epidemiology
• Labor Market Analysis

Background:

• Sickness presenteeism (SP) is a prevalent issue with significant economic and health implications.
• Understanding the role of psychosocial risk factors (PSRs) is crucial for developing effective workplace interventions.
• Labor market inequalities may influence the association between PSRs and SP.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between various psychosocial risk factors (PSRs) and sickness presenteeism (SP).
• To explore potential modifications in these associations based on major labor market inequality axes.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted using a representative sample of the Spanish salaried workforce.
• Statistical analyses, including adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and confidence intervals (CI), were employed to assess associations.

Main Results:

• While many PSRs showed crude associations with SP, only lack of role clarity, role conflicts, and lack of sense of community remained significant after adjustment.
• Adjusted prevalence ratios indicated increased likelihood of SP for workers experiencing these interpersonal domain factors.
• The impact of certain PSRs on SP varied depending on the analyzed labor market segmentation axes.

Conclusions:

• The significant psychosocial risk factors associated with sickness presenteeism primarily stem from the interpersonal relationships domain within the workplace.
• Interventions targeting role clarity, conflict resolution, and fostering a sense of community may reduce SP.
• Addressing labor market inequalities is essential for mitigating the differential impact of PSRs on SP across diverse worker groups.