Predictors of sickness absence in college and university educated self-employed: a historic register study

BMC Public Health

Sandra Brouwer²  Michiel R De Boer¹  Jac JL Van der Klink²  Liesbeth EC Wijnvoord³ 

[1] Department of Health Sciences and the EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands;Department of Health Sciences, Community and Occupational Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 1, 9713 AV, Groningen, The Netherlands;Movir, PO Box 21603430 CV Nieuwegein, The Netherlands

关键词: Predictive variables;    Self-employed;    Absenteeism;    Sick leave;    Risk factors;    Disability insurance;   

Others  :  1131462
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2458-14-420

 received in 2013-12-04, accepted in 2014-04-25,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

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 were identified by means of logistic regression analysis. Data collected at application for private disability insurance from 634 applicants were related to subsequent sickness absence periods of 30 days or more during a follow-up period of 7.95 years. Variables studied were self-reported lifestyle variables, variables concerning medical history and present health conditions and variables derived from the general medical examination including blood tests and urinary analysis.

Results

Results from analysis of data from 634 applicants for private disability insurance show that previous periods of sickness absence (OR 2.07), female gender (OR 2.04), health complaints listed in the health declaration (OR 1.88), elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (OR 4.05) and the nature of the profession were related to a higher risk of sickness absence.

Conclusions

Sickness absence was found to be related to demographic variables (gender, profession), medical variables (health complaints and erythrocyte sedimentation rate) and to variables with both a medical and a behavioural component (previous sickness absence).

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Wijnvoord et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

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