OBJECTIVES Previous research on the association between adjustment latitude (defined as the opportunity to adjust work efforts in case of illness) and sickness absence and sickness presence has produced inconsistent results. In particular, low adjustment latitude has been identified as both a risk factor and a deterrent of sick leave. The present study uses an alternative analytical strategy wi...

The effect of office type on sickness absence among office employees was studied prospectively in 1852 employees working in (1) cell-offices; (2) shared-room offices; (3) small, (4) medium-sized and (5) large open-plan offices; (6) flex-offices and (7) combioffices. Sick leaves were self-reported two years later as number of (a) short and (b) long (medically certified) sick leave spells as well...

Sick leaves in the nursing team demand immediate managerial actions when health care has quality as a goal. This descriptive-exploratory, quantitative study was performed with the purpose of characterizing that phenomenon in a university hospital between 2003 and 2007. The medical leaves added up to 3,207 leaves and 32,022 days lost. Leaves lasting up to two days accounted for 54% of the total ...

We use a large and unique administrative dataset from Italy, covering the period 2009-2014, to investigate opportunistic behavior (moral hazard) and the effectiveness of monitoring policies related to insurance against illness-related income losses. The analysis is based on the outcome of mandatory medical visits aimed at verifying the health status of employees during sickness spells. We find ...

OBJECTIVES To explore the first period of sick leave in military patients following a traumatic battle injury, and the role of primary care. To identify if and where patients perceived difficulties. METHOD Participants were recruited from The Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC) Headley Court on their second admission. Purposive sampling was used to access a range of different injurie...

BACKGROUND Sick leave is a topical subject, particularly following the revision of the Agreement on a More Inclusive Working Life (the IA agreement). However, there has been little discussion about the extent to which sick leave may be related to work. MATERIAL AND METHODS The paper is based on a non-systematic literature search using PubMed combined with personal research and experience. R...

Nosocomial infections place a heavy burden on overstretched health services. An audit of junior doctors' sick leave behaviour was undertaken in 1993 and again in 2001. The object was to ascertain the level of common infectious illness and to investigate whether junior doctors were remaining at work inappropriately. The doctors were asked if any factors had influenced their decision to take sick...

In many countries, general practitioners (GPs) are assigned the task of controlling the validity of their own patients' insurance claims. At the same time, they operate in a market where patients are customers free to choose their GP. Are these roles compatible? Can we trust that the gatekeeping decisions are untainted by private economic interests? Based on administrative registers from Norway...

BACKGROUND It has been discussed whether the relationship between a patient on sick leave and his/her general practitioner (GP) is too close, as this may hinder the GP's objective evaluation of need for sick leave. Independent medical evaluation involves an independent physician consulting the patient. This could lead to new perspectives on sick leave and how to follow-up the patient. METHODS...