TY - JOUR

T1 - Associations between physical and psychosocial work environment factors and sickness absence incidence depend on the lengths of the sickness absence episodes

T2 - A prospective study of 27 678 Danish employees

AU - Thorsen, Sannie Vester

AU - Flyvholm, Mari Ann

AU - Pedersen, Jacob

AU - Bültmann, Ute

AU - Andersen, Lars L.

AU - Bjørner, Jakob Bue

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Objectives This study examined if the association between work environment factors and sickness absence (SA) depended on the inclusion or exclusion of short-term SA episodes. Methods We linked the € Work Environment and Health in Denmark' survey with the € Danish Register of Work Absences' (n=27 678). Using covariate adjusted Cox regression, we examined the associations between work environment factors and SA by changing the cut-off points for the length of the SA episodes, for example, episodes ≥1 day, ≥6 days and ≥21 days. We examined three physical work environment factors: € Back bend or twisted', € Lifting or carrying', € Wet hands' and three psychosocial work environment factors: € Poor influence', € Role conflicts' and € Bullying'. Results € Back bend or twisted' and € Lifting or carrying' had small significant HRs for SA episodes ≥1 day and large and highly significant HRs for SA episodes ≥6 days and ≥21 days. € Wet hands' had small significant HRs for SA episodes ≥1 day for both sexes and large and highly significant HR for ≥6 days for women. HRs of all three psychosocial factors were highly significant for SA episodes ≥1 day and ≥6 days for both sexes, and € Poor influence' and € Role conflicts' were significant for SA episodes ≥21 days for women. Conclusions The physical work factors had higher associations with SA when SA episodes of 1-5 days were excluded and focus was on SA episodes ≥6 days. The psychosocial work factors were strongly associated with SA both with and without SA episodes of 1-5 days included in the analyses.

AB - Objectives This study examined if the association between work environment factors and sickness absence (SA) depended on the inclusion or exclusion of short-term SA episodes. Methods We linked the € Work Environment and Health in Denmark' survey with the € Danish Register of Work Absences' (n=27 678). Using covariate adjusted Cox regression, we examined the associations between work environment factors and SA by changing the cut-off points for the length of the SA episodes, for example, episodes ≥1 day, ≥6 days and ≥21 days. We examined three physical work environment factors: € Back bend or twisted', € Lifting or carrying', € Wet hands' and three psychosocial work environment factors: € Poor influence', € Role conflicts' and € Bullying'. Results € Back bend or twisted' and € Lifting or carrying' had small significant HRs for SA episodes ≥1 day and large and highly significant HRs for SA episodes ≥6 days and ≥21 days. € Wet hands' had small significant HRs for SA episodes ≥1 day for both sexes and large and highly significant HR for ≥6 days for women. HRs of all three psychosocial factors were highly significant for SA episodes ≥1 day and ≥6 days for both sexes, and € Poor influence' and € Role conflicts' were significant for SA episodes ≥21 days for women. Conclusions The physical work factors had higher associations with SA when SA episodes of 1-5 days were excluded and focus was on SA episodes ≥6 days. The psychosocial work factors were strongly associated with SA both with and without SA episodes of 1-5 days included in the analyses.

KW - longitudinal studies

KW - physical work

KW - sickness absence

U2 - 10.1136/oemed-2020-106554

DO - 10.1136/oemed-2020-106554

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 32907881

AN - SCOPUS:85098067061

VL - 78

SP - 46

EP - 53

JO - Occupational and Environmental Medicine

JF - Occupational and Environmental Medicine

SN - 1351-0711

IS - 1

ER -