Hernia repair and time off work in Oxford

The variation in time off work was investigated in 261 men aged between 18 and 65 years whose inguinal herniae were repaired in Oxford hospitals in 1971/72 and 1974/75. The average time off was 51 calendar days compared with 70 days nationally. Complications, a heavy job, low sick pay, and family worries were found to be the main factors associated with increased time off, although they accounted for only 42 per cent of the variance. Men stopping smoking at the surgeon's request had less time off, and so had men who had been given an estimate before their operation of their likely duration of absence, especially when the estimate was given by the surgeon.