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[Life situation as a reason for sick leave]
1Institutt for allmennmedisin og samfunnsmedisinske fag Universitetet i Oslo.
Summary
Doctors often grant sick leave certificates due to social and occupational factors, not just illness. This study surveyed patients and found these external issues influenced over 20% of medical certificate decisions.
Area of Science:
- General Practice
- Occupational Health
- Social Medicine
Context:
- Sickness certification practices vary and may not solely reflect general morbidity.
- Previous claims suggest social issues, rather than illness, often drive medical certificate issuance.
- General practitioners (GPs) are key gatekeepers for sick leave certification.
Purpose:
- To investigate the influence of social and occupational factors on GPs' decisions to issue medical certificates for sick leave.
- To quantify the extent to which non-medical factors impact sickness certification.
Summary:
- A survey of 1,401 adult patients across 89 general practices was conducted.
- 218 patients reported receiving a medical certificate for sick leave.
- Doctors indicated that social and/or occupational factors influenced the decision to certify sick leave in 48 (22%) of these cases, with occupational problems being the most common stated reason.
Impact:
- Findings suggest that sickness certification is influenced by a complex interplay of patient health, social, and occupational circumstances.
- Highlights the need for GPs to consider broader patient contexts when assessing sick leave.
- Provides data to inform discussions on the drivers of sickness certification and potential interventions.