BACKGROUND Despite a large proportion of the workforce being self-employed, few studies have been conducted on risk factors for sickness absence in this population. The aim of this study is to identify risk factors for future sickness absence in a population of college and university educated self-employed. METHODS In a historic register study based on insurance company files risk factors wer...

BACKGROUND Few studies investigated determinants of sickness absence in representative samples of the general population, none of which in Italy. Aim of this study was to assess influence and relative importance of socio-demographic and work-related characteristics on medium- and long-term sickness absence in a random sample of Italian workers. METHODS Approximately 60,000 workers participati...

BACKGROUND We have previously shown that a multidimensional programme combining physical training, patient transfer techniques and stress management significantly reduced sickness absence rates in student nurse assistants (NAs) after 14 months of follow-up. At follow-up, the control group had reduced SF-36 scores for general health perception [general health (GH)], psychological well-being [men...

OBJECTIVE Musculoskeletal pain and avoidant coping predicts sickness absence, but how these 2 predictors relate to each other is unknown. We examined the main and combined effects of musculoskeletal pain and avoidant, behavioural coping on incidence of sickness absence. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS Prospective cohort study of a sample of middle-aged Danes, economically active in 2006, reporting functi...

Increasing levels of physical activity are proven to have a positive impact on physical health and mental well-being. Physical activity is also known to influence work-related outcomes such as reducing sickness absence. Sickness absence is a major public health problem with wide economic impact on society and there may be much to gain from physical activity interventions aimed at preventing lon...

BACKGROUND Doctors' sickness absence reduces the quality and continuity of patient care and is financially costly. Doctors have lower rates of sickness absence than other healthcare workers. AIMS To compare self-reported with recorded sickness absence in doctors in a UK National Health Service hospital trust. METHODS A retrospective questionnaire study. The main outcome measures were self-r...

STUDY OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between self reported health status and sickness absence. DESIGN Analysis of questionnaire and sickness absence data from the first phase of the Whitehall II study--a longitudinal study set up to investigate the degree and causes of the social gradient in morbidity and mortality. SETTING London offices of 20 civil service departments. PARTIC...

BACKGROUND Women have shown consistently higher levels of sickness absence from work in comparison to men, but explanations for this gender gap have not been completely understood. Life-course studies suggest that health and health-related social benefits in adult age are influenced by early life experiences. We aimed to estimate intergenerational associations with a 15-year time gap between pa...