Berufsgruppen- und altersabhängige Unterschiede in der Arbeitsunfähigkeit durch häufige Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungen am Beispiel der essenziellen Hypertonie und des akuten Myokardinfarktes

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are responsible for a major part of morbidity and mortality. Based on two selected diagnoses (ICD-10) “essential hypertension” (I10) and “acute myocardial infarction” (AMI, I21) the occupational- and age-dependent increases in sick leave are described. The secondary data analysis is based on gender-stratified, pooled data (26.2 million legally insured) on sick leave of the German social security workforce in 2008. The number of sick leave cases stratified by sex and age were calculated. Indirectly standardized morbidity ratios (SMR) for the occurrence of sick leave cases stratified by age and occupational groups (according to Blossfeld) with 99.99% confidence intervals are estimated. Age had an influence on the professional group-dependent sick leave. In the youngest age group, a similar risk existed for hypertension and AMI in all occupational groups. In the middle and older age groups, low-skilled service workers and manual occupations had increased risks for both men and women as compared to the occupational group of qualified sales and administrative occupations. Because the workforce is expected to continue to age in the future, primary and secondary prevention of CVD in all age groups is strongly recommended.     

Workers not Paid for Sick Leave after Implementation of the New York City Paid Sick Leave Law

This study examined factors associated with being paid for sick leave after implementation of the New York City (NYC) paid sick leave law. A random sample of NYC residents was surveyed by telephone multiple times over a 2-year period. Participants (n?=?1195) reported socio-demographics, awareness of the law, income, work hours per week, and payment for sick time off work. In the year after implementation of the law, part-time workers were significantly more likely to attend work while sick than full-time workers (relative risk?=?1.25, 95% CI?=?1.1, 1.4). Seventy percent of workers who missed work due to illness (n?=?249) were paid for sick leave. Part-time workers, respondents not aware of the benefit (30% of workers), and workers without a college degree were the least likely to be paid for sick days. More than one third (37%) of persons not paid for sick leave worked in retail, food service, or health care. Although 70% of respondents were paid for sick leave after implementation of the law, part-time workers and workers with low education were least likely to access the benefit and more likely to work while sick. The disparity in paid sick leave may have public health consequences as many persons not paid for sick leave had occupations that carry a high risk of disease transmission to others.     

Reports of work related musculoskeletal injury among home care service workers compared with nursery school workers and the general population of employed women in Sweden.

OBJECTIVES--To describe the nationwide occurrence of work related musculoskeletal injuries among all home care service workers in Sweden, and to identify relative risks and risk factors of the injuries. METHODS--The study was based on work related injuries reported to the Swedish occupational injury information system in 1990-1. The work related musculoskeletal injuries were divided into overexertion accidents and musculoskeletal diseases. The incidence of the injuries in female home care service workers was compared with those in nursery school workers and all other employed women in Sweden. RESULTS--In home care service workers, the annual incidence of injury from overexertion accidents and musculoskeletal diseases were 19.2 and 15.1 per 1000 workers, respectively, which was higher than those in nursery school workers and all employed women in Sweden. For five injury locations including the back, all the age standardised relative risks (SRR) of overexertion accidents exceeded 4.0, and most of those for musculoskeletal diseases were 1.5 or more in home care service workers compared with all other employed women in Sweden. Total duration of sick leave due to overexertion accidents was 7.7 times, and musculoskeletal diseases 3.5 times, longer than in nursery school workers. National loss due to sick leave resulting from only musculoskeletal injuries in home care service workers was about 8.2% of the total work related sick leave in all employed women in Sweden, although the number of home care service workers represented only some 5% of this population. Lifting other people was most frequently reported as the main risk cause of overexertion accidents in both kinds of workers. CONCLUSIONS--The results support the hypothesis that home care service workers have higher annual injury incidence of musculoskeletal injuries than nursery school workers due to physically stressful tasks that are far less common in nursery school workers.     

Alters- und berufsgruppenabhängige Unterschiede in der Arbeitsunfähigkeit durch häufige Muskel-Skelett-Erkrankungen

Musculoskeletal disorders are the leading cause of sick leave. Because of the importance of back pain and knee osteoarthritis (ICD-10 diagnoses M54 and M17), these conditions are considered in detail. The aim of this study was to clarify whether job-specific differences in the incidence of sick leave events due to these disorders vary depending on age. The study was based on a secondary analysis of data on sick leave from almost all statutory health insurances in 2008. The database contains aggregated data on sick leave of approximately 26.2 million insured employees. The occurrence of sick leave events resulting from the M54 and M17 diagnoses was defined as the outcome variable. The assignment of employees to occupational groups (BLOSSFELD classification) was considered as the exposure variable. We calculated the morbidity ratios (SMR) of sick leave occurrence stratified by sex and age. The risk of sick leave was increased for both genders and for both diagnoses, particularly in the occupational groups of the production and service industries with low and medium skill level, even after stratification according to age. Sick leave due to these disorders is a significant issue in these occupations regardless of age, and must be considered with regard to social and preventive aspects.     

Factors affecting long-term sick leave in an industrial population

Factors affecting long-term absenteeism for non-accident-related sickness leave in a large, remotely located factory (Dead Sea Industry, Israel) were evaluated. About 10% (89 persons) of the workers were found to be on sick leave for more than 20 days/year. This group was designated as high absence workers (HAW). Most of the sickness absence were for repeated short-term leaves due to intercurrent diseases, rather than for continuous periods related to a major or single illness. Average cumulative duration of sick leave in this group was 54 days/year. The average number of spells was 11 per year (4.9 days/spell). There were significantly more HAW among skilled (relative risk, R.R. = 1.6) workers or shift workers (R.R. = 1.3), compared to white collar workers. There were significantly fewer HAW among workers 35–49 years of age (7.6%) than among younger (12.5%) or older workers (13.8%). Except for possible hearing loss in one worker, no occupationally related illness was identified. Sixty-six percent of the HAW took many sick leaves, over 20 days during the year following the study year, and 52% of this group took over 20 days in the preceding year (usually for minor diseases or complaints). This pattern of long-term sickness absence indicates that various socioeconomic factors determine HAW to a greater extent than immediate occupational risks or health problems.This work was partially supported by a grant from the Committee of Prevention, the Israeli Ministry of Labor     

Job strain and sickness absence among nurses in the province of Québec

BACKGROUND: Using Karasek's job strain model, the objective of the study was to determine whether nurses exposed to job strain had a higher incidence of sick leave than nurses not exposed. METHODS: The design was longitudinal. Data on sick leave were collected for 1,793 nurses for a 20-month period: short-term leaves and certified sick leaves. The Job Content Questionnaire was used to measure psychological demands, job decision latitude, and social support at work. RESULTS: Short-term sick leaves were associated with job strain (incidence density ratio (IDR) = 1.20) and with low social support at work (IDR = 1.26). Certified sick leaves were also significantly associated with low social support at work (IDR = 1.27 for all diagnoses and IDR = 1.78 for mental health diagnoses). CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the association between job strain and short-term sick leaves. The association with certified sick leaves is also significant for subgroups of nurses with specific job characteristics. Social support at work, although associated with all types of sick leaves measured, does not modify the association between job strain and absence.     

Long-term sick leave and disability pensioning due to back disorders of tractor drivers exposed to whole-body vibration

Summary In a historical 11-year follow-up study, disability pensioning and the incidence of the first sick leave of 4 weeks or longer due to back disorders has been investigated in a group of drivers exposed to whole-body vibration (WBV), mainly of agricultural tractors. The reference group comprised workers not or only slightly exposed to WBV from the same and another company. The vibration exposure of the tractor drivers was roughly around the ISO-2631 fatigue-decreased proficiency limit. The incidence of a first long-term sick leave due to back disorders was 3 per 100 person-years in tractor drivers and 2 per 100 person-years in the entire reference group. However, the incidence was not substantially increased in tractor drivers when the referents comprised only those working at the same company, suggesting selection bias. The highest relative risk (ca. 3) was found for long-term sick leave due to intervertebral disc disorders and this risk seemed to increase with the received WBV dose. That especially the incidence of intervertebral disc disorders increased, agrees well with findings in other studies. Data on disability pensioning due to back disorders are too scarce to be conclusive, but a trend towards younger disablement in tractor drivers is evident. Exposure to WBV, together with twisted posture and prolonged sitting, are considered to be responsible for the increased incidences observed in tractor drivers.     

Prognostic Factors for Duration of Sick Leave Due to Low-Back Pain in Dutch Health Care Professionals

Background: Information on prognostic factors for duration of sick leave due to low-back pain (LBP) is growing. In this prospective cohort study prognostic factors for duration of sick leave and course of disability were identified in a very early stage of sick leave due to LBP in an occupational health care setting. Methods: A total of 615 workers calling in sick from work due to LBP at an occupational health service (OHS) of one institution completed a questionnaire. Duration of follow-up was 26 weeks. Prognostic factors were identified by means of Cox regression analysis and multiple linear regression analysis, and explained variance was calculated. Results: Median time to first return to work (RTW) was 5 days (Inter Quartile Range (IQR) = 2–12). Median time to lasting return to work (LRTW) was 6 days (IQR = 3–13). The final model for delayed RTW included self-reported expected duration of sick-leave, treatment by GP or specialist, care-seeking, diminished mobility, and the interaction between care-seeking and diminished mobility. The final model for LRTW included: self-reported expected duration of sick-leave, treatment by GP or specialist, care-seeking, the interaction between the self-reported expected duration of sick-leave and seeking care at OHS, complaints due to job stress, diminished mobility, and the interactions between expected duration of more then 10 days and seeking OP care and diminished mobility. Median total days on sick leave (TDSL) was 6 days (IQR = 3–13 days). The final model for TDSL included: age, expected duration of sick leave, treatment by GP or medical specialist, seeking OP care, complaints due to physical load, and diminished mobility. Explained variance (R²) of these models ranged from 30 to 35%. Conclusions: Poor prognosis for duration of sick leave can be identified by means of a simple questionnaire administered on the first day of sick leave. Workers at high risk for longer duration of sick leave (all outcomes) expected to stay off work longer, were already being treated by a MD, sought OP care, and had diminished mobility. In case of delayed LRTW workers reported job stress as a possible cause of sick leave. Interactions were found in both RTW and LRTW between care-seeking and diminished mobility and in LRTW between expected duration of sick leave and seeking OP care. Older age increased TDSL with borderline significance.     

Paid Sick Leave and Nonfatal Occupational Injuries

Objectives. We examined the association between US workers’ access to paid sick leave and the incidence of nonfatal occupational injuries from the employer’s perspective. We also examined this association in different industries and occupations.Methods. We developed a theoretical framework to examine the business value of offering paid sick leave. Data from the National Health Interview Survey were used to test the hypothesis that offering paid sick leave is associated with a reduced incidence of occupational injuries. We used data on approximately 38 000 working adults to estimate a multivariate model.Results. With all other variables held constant, workers with access to paid sick leave were 28% (95% confidence interval = 0.52, 0.99) less likely than workers without access to paid sick leave to be injured. The association between the availability of paid sick leave and the incidence of occupational injuries varied across sectors and occupations, with the greatest differences occurring in high-risk sectors and occupations.Conclusions. Our findings suggest that, similar to other investments in worker safety and health, introducing or expanding paid sick leave programs might help businesses reduce the incidence of nonfatal occupational injuries, particularly in high-risk sectors and occupations.Paid sick leave is one of the nonwage benefits that US employers can offer to their workers. Although the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act requires public agencies and private-sector establishments to provide up to 12 weeks of leave to eligible workers,1 this leave can be paid or unpaid.2,3 At the state level, only California and New Jersey have implemented paid family leave systems that provide workers with partial wage replacement.4 For workers, paid sick leave is associated with shorter recovery times3 and reduced complications from minor health problems.5–10 Paid sick leave also enables workers to care for loved ones when they most need it,11 can help prevent the spread of contagious diseases in day-care facilities and schools,12–15 and would enable compliance with pandemic influenza mitigation recommendations.16Employers can realize gains from offering paid sick leave through the reduction of productivity losses associated with sick workers who continue to work but are not fully productive (i.e., “presenteeism”).3,7,17–19 Paid sick leave also can help prevent the spread of contagious diseases to coworkers, which reduces the cost of unscheduled leave (absenteeism).20 The costs associated with sick workers who continue to work can be substantial. For example, Goetzel et al.21 estimated presenteeism costs to be the largest component of the overall costs of absenteeism, productivity losses, and short-term disability.Working while sick also can increase workers’ probability of suffering an injury.22 Sick or stressed workers who continue to work are likely to take medications, experience sleep problems, or be fatigued.23–25 These factors can impair their ability to concentrate or make sound decisions, which can in turn increase their probability of suffering an additional illness or sustaining a workplace injury. A recent study comparing workers with severe occupational injuries and those with nonsevere injuries demonstrated that a family member’s hospitalization, which is likely to be a major stressor for the entire family, increased by 9% the probability that a worker would suffer a severe occupational injury.26Despite the advantages of paid sick leave for both workers and employers, the number of private-sector workers who have access to it remains low. For example, between 1996 and 1998 nearly 90% of workers in state and local governments had access to paid sick leave, compared with only 45% of workers in the private sector.3 A more recent study concluded that in 2010, after consideration of the average job tenure requirement of 78 days that is imposed by employers before workers have access to paid sick leave, only 40 million workers in the private sector had access to this job benefit, a figure well below the 44 million workers who were estimated to be eligible for such leave by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).27Additional empirical evidence on the advantages and costs of paid sick leave would help inform employers’ decisions about offering or expanding paid sick leave benefits to workers. We examined the hypothesis that offering paid sick leave to workers would be associated with a lower incidence of nonfatal occupational injuries. We also assessed whether this association varied by occupation and industry sector, with the expectation that greater differences would be observed in occupations and sectors in which workers are at higher risk of suffering nonfatal occupational injuries. To our knowledge, this is the first US study to empirically examine these issues.     

Supraspinatus tendon affection and sick leave

Rotator cuff disease, among others damage of the supraspinatus tendon mainly caused by work overload, is a common problem in the population resulting in a high incidence of sick leaves. In the present survey we sought to compare the need for sick leaves in relation to different stages of supraspinatus tendon affection and in relation to five different groups of workers. Our study counted with the participation of patients who were diagnosed with this condition. The individuals were grouped according to stages of the disease (tendonitis, partial rupture, total rupture) and according to the biomechanical aspects of their occupation (general services, civil construction, domestic workers, farm workers and security guard services). Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson's chi-square test, dependence analysis and exact test. Results revealed that 62 (55%) of the individuals were on sick leave. The highest rates of sick leaves according to Pearson's test occurred in the groups general services (38.71%) and farm workers (22.58%). According to the dependence analysis, tendonitis (p<0.05) was the most frequent reason for sick leaves and, according to Pearson's test, farm work seems to keep the individual for a longer space of time unfit for duty (p=0.02).     

Effects on sick leave of an inpatient rehabilitation programme for asthmatics in a randomized trial

AIM: Among adult asthmatics a major proportion of the cost of illness is attributed to productivity losses and societal costs in connection with sick leave compensation. The aim of the study was to evaluate an extensive structured four-week inpatient rehabilitation programme for asthmatics. METHODS: A diagnosis of asthma was made in a structured way among people on sick leave due to a respiratory disorder. In total, 197 persons were randomized to either a rehabilitation programme, or to usual care. The main components of the rehabilitation programme were education, pharmacological optimization, physical training, and coping skill acquisition. RESULTS: At the three-year follow-up, the median number of sick leave days in the rehabilitation group was 104, and in the usual care group 167 (p = 0.12). An analysis of a subgroup consisting of persons not currently smoking with a previous diagnosis of asthma by a physician (n = 57) showed a significant effect on sick leave at three years (median number of days 63 in the rehabilitation group vs 361 in the control group, p = 0.02). All analyses were based on intention to treat. CONCLUSIONS: The long-term effects on sick leave of an extensive inpatient asthma rehabilitation programme are most evident for non-smokers and ex-smokers with a previous asthma diagnosis. It is therefore recommended that persons with asthma who are current smokers should be offered participation in smoking cessation programmes instead of asthma rehabilitation programmes.     

Repetición de procesos de incapacidad temporal según diagnóstico

ObjectiveTo find out the recurrence of absence due to sick leave from the perspective of diagnosing the disease-causing absenteeism.DesignCase-control study. Controls: workers who only had only been on sick leave once. Cases: workers with repeated sick leave. Cases with 2, 3, 4 or more absences due to sick leave were analysed separately.SettingGuipuzcoa, from 2001 to 2005.ParticipantsThere were 7,313 sick leave procedures collected from a Mutual Company with the medical reason, age and gender were duly registered and coded. Of the 6,030 workers who took some time off work, 5,016 had a single sick leave procedure, and were considered as controls and there were 1,014 cases that had two or more sick leave procedures.MeasurementsWe calculated the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals, adjusting for age and stratified by gender, using a logistic regression model. The slope of sick leave repeats was evaluated.ResultsAn increase in the risk of recurrent sick leave was observed for both genders over the age of 45, with a significant slope. There was an increase in the risk of recurrent sick leave in the most common diseases, musculoskeletal, external causes, mental and gastrointestinal in males, and pregnancy, musculoskeletal, mental and external causes in females.ConclusionsAn alternative method for verifying the correct prescribing of sick leave would be to just study diseases that occur most often. This would focus on those workers who had recurrent absences due to sick leave.     

Correlating the anatomical site of injury and work-related factors with sick leave duration following minor musculoskeletal injuries

Many factors are associated with long sick leaves and therefore, reliance solely on disease-related factors can potentially underestimate sick leave durations. Here, we wanted to assess the association between the injury sites, work-related factors, and the length of sick leaves. Comprehensive medical legal reports of workers with pure minor musculoskeletal injuries were reviewed. 2029 reports of workers were included. 32.8% had sick leaves of less than a week in duration. Lower limb injuries were associated with longer sick leaves only in patients performing strenuous jobs. Public sector workers sustaining an injury at work and performing strenuous jobs were associated with longer sick leaves. Senior workers returned earlier to work, but age and gender were not strongly correlated with long sick leaves. There was a weak but significant association between sick leave duration and the period spent refraining from hobby activities, and almost all patients returned to their work before their hobbies.     

Cancer Incidence, Mortality from Cancer and Survival in Men of Different Occupational Classes

Low social class is associated with higher mortality from cancer at several sites and in patients with cancer low social class is known to be associated with a poorer chance of survival. Social differences in cancer incidence are less consistent. The present study was undertaken to assess the relation between occupational class and cancer incidence, mortality and survival from cancer in a large population of 7001 men aged 51-59, free of diagnosed cancer at baseline in 1970--1972. The main outcome measures were cancer incidence and cancer mortality until 1992 according to the Swedish national cancer and cause-specific death registries. Cancer survival was analysed in a subgroup of 904 men diagnosed with cancer before 1990. There were 1329 incident cases of cancer including 620 deaths from cancer. Overall cancer incidence during follow-up did not vary significantly by occupational class, but respiratory cancers were significantly more common among men with manual occupations; p = 0.0004. This was not be explained by differences in tobacco smoking, which were minor at the start of the study and did not increase much during follow-up. Overall mortality from cancer was significantly higher among men with manual occupations. Among professionals and higher officials 336 per 100,000 observation years died from cancer, compared to 391 among intermediate officials, 509 among lower officials, 474 among skilled and 548 among non-skilled workers; p for trend = 0.0003. This difference was mainly due to mortality from respiratory cancer, with a threefold difference between manual workers and professionals; this did not change after adjustment for smoking. Among the 904 men diagnosed before 1990 with cancer at any site (except non-melanoma skin cancer) the adjusted relative risk of dying from cancer was 1.75 (95% confidence interval 1.22-2.50) in unskilled workers compared to higher officials (p for trend 0.015).     

Work environment factors, health, lifestyle and marital status as predictors of job change and early retirement in physically heavy occupations

BACKGROUND: The aim was to assess the rate at which waste collectors and municipal workers leave their job, to establish the outcome and to identify associated risk factors within work environment, health, lifestyle and marital status. METHODS: A questionnaire-based survey among a cohort of 2,918 waste collectors and municipal workers was performed in 1994, with follow-up 2.5 years later. RESULTS: Twenty-five percent had left the job at follow-up. Of these, 31% had changed jobs (associated with low decision authority), 16% were unemployed (associated with low skill discretion, pushing heavy loads and extreme bending of back), 10% received Disability Pension/long-term sick leave (associated with low skill discretion, prevalent diseases, underweight and smoking), and 12% received Early Retirement Pension (associated with extreme bending of back and marital status). CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests a potential for preventing people from leaving physically heavy occupations by improving the physical and psychosocial work environment.     

School environment as predictor of teacher sick leave: data-linked prospective cohort study

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) and psychosocial problems are common in schools worldwide, yet longitudinal research on the issue is scarce. We examined whether the level of or a change in pupil-reported school environment (IAQ, school satisfaction, and bullying) predicts recorded sick leaves among teachers. METHODS: Changes in the school environment were assessed using pupil surveys at two time points (2001/02 and 2004/05) in 92 secondary schools in Finland. Variables indicating change were based on median values at baseline. We linked these data to individual-level records of teachers' (n = 1678) sick leaves in 2001--02 and in 2004--05. RESULTS: Multilevel multinomial logistic regression models adjusted for baseline sick leave and covariates showed a decreased risk for short-term (one to three days) sick leaves among teachers working in schools with good perceived IAQ at both times (OR = 0.6, 95% CI: 0.5-0.9), and for those with a positive change in IAQ (OR = 0.6, 95% CI: 0.4-0.9), compared to teachers in schools where IAQ was constantly poor. Negative changes in pupil school satisfaction (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1-2.8) and bullying (OR = 1.5, 95% CI: 1.0-2.3) increased the risk for short-term leaves among teachers when compared to teachers in schools where the level of satisfaction and bullying had remained stable. School environment factors were not associated with long-term sick leaves. CONCLUSIONS: Good and improved IAQ are associated with decreased teacher absenteeism. While pupil-related psychosocial factors also contribute to sick leaves, no effect modification or mediation of psychosocial factors on the association between IAQ and sick leave was observed.     

Risk factors for absenteeism due to sick leave in the petroleum industry

OBJECTIVE

To identify risk factors for absenteeism among workers with sick leave in an oil company.

METHODS

A case-control study (120 cases and 656 controls) nested in a retrospective cohort study following up all employees of an oil company in the North-Northeast of Brazil from 2007 to 2009. The response variable used to represent absenteeism with sick leave was the average incidence of sick leave, defined as the ratio between total sick days and potential working days in the period. Logistic regression techniques were used to investigate the association between average incidence of sick leave > 5.0% over the period and the variables sex, position, age, time at work, shift work, smoking, arterial hypertension, body mass index, physical activity, coronary risk, sleep, glycemia, non-managed diabetes, cardiovascular, digestive, musculoskeletal, neurological and neoplastic diseases, straining body positioning during work, satisfaction at work, relationship with management, and concentrated attention at work.

RESULTS

Average incidence of sick leave higher than 5.0% in the cohort period was 15.5%. The logistic model revealed that workers with average incidence of sick leave higher than 5.0% were 2.6 times more likely to be female; 2.0 time more likely to be smokers; 1.8 time more likely to be former smokers; 2.2 times more likely to report abnormal sleep and 10.5 times more likely to report dissatisfaction with their than workers with average incidence of sick leave ≤ 5.0% in the period.

CONCLUSIONS

In this population, female gender, being a smoker or a former smoker, reporting dissatisfaction with the job and reporting abnormal sleep are good predictors of occupational absenteeism with sick leave.     

Effect of change in the psychosocial work environment on sickness absence: a seven year follow up of initially healthy employees

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of changes in psychosocial work environment on subsequent sickness absence. DESIGN: Analysis of questionnaire and sickness absence data collected in three time periods: 1990-1991, before the recession; 1993, worst slump during the recession; and 1993-1997, a period after changes. SETTING: Raisio, a town in south western Finland, during and after a period of economic decline. PARTICIPANTS: 530 municipal employees (138 men, 392 women) working during 1990-1997 who had no medically certified sick leaves in 1991. Mean length of follow up was 6.7 years. MAIN RESULTS: After adjustment for the pre-recession levels, the changes in the job characteristics of the workers during the recession predicted their subsequent sick leaves. Lowered job control caused a 1.30 (95% CI = 1.19, 1.41) times higher risk of sick leave than an increase in job control. The corresponding figures in relation to decreased social support and increased job demands were 1.30 (95% CI = 1.20, 1.41) and 1.10 (95% CI = 1.03, 1.17), respectively. In some cases there was an interaction with socioeconomic status, changes in the job characteristics being stronger predictors of sick leaves for employees with a high income than for the others. The highest risks of sick leave (ranging from 1.40 to 1.90) were associated with combined effects related to poor levels of and negative changes in job control, job demands and social support. CONCLUSION: Negative changes in psychosocial work environment have adverse effects on the health of employees. Those working in an unfavourable psychosocial environment before changes are at greatest risk.     

Low back pain and occupation among Irish health service workers

BACKGROUND: The health services sector has been identified as a high-risk work sector for low back pain (LBP) and related absenteeism. AIMS: To establish levels and predictors of LBP prevalence and associated sick leave among health service workers. To identify if levels of LBP or related absenteeism differ between occupational groups. METHODS: A postal survey using a standardized questionnaire and disproportionate random sampling of occupational groups was conducted at a single Dublin hospital. Overall hospital LBP prevalence and sickness absence were calculated using weighted analysis methods. Univariate analysis included the use of Chi-square, Fisher's exact and Mann-Whitney tests. Multivariate logistic regression techniques were used to explore for independent predictors of lifetime LBP prevalence and LBP-related sickness absence. RESULTS: An overall response rate of 62% (n = 246) was achieved. Lifetime, annual and point prevalence rates for the hospital employees were calculated at 46, 30 and 15.5%, respectively. No significant difference in prevalence was found between occupational groups but sick leave did differ with the highest level among general support and nursing staff. Multivariate analysis confirmed that occupation was an independent predictor for LBP-related sick leave (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: LBP prevalence rates did not differ significantly between occupational groups but occupation was found to be an independent predictor of LBP-related sick leave. Involvement in manual handling did not predict either LBP or related sick leave.