Psychosocial and organizational risk factors for doctor-certified sick leave: a prospective study of female health and social workers in Norway

BMC Public Health

Tom Sterud¹  Tore Tynes¹  Hans Magne Gravseth¹  Håkon A Johannessen¹  Reidar Tyssen²  Cecilie Aagestad² 

[1] Department of Occupational Health Surveillance, National Institute of Occupational Health, PO BOX 8149 Dep, NO-0033 Oslo, Norway;Department of Behavioral Sciences, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

关键词: Violence;    Psychosocial and organizational work environment;    Health and social workers;    Sick leave;   

Others  :  1126536
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2458-14-1016

 received in 2014-07-02, accepted in 2014-09-22,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

Doctor-certified sick leave differs substantially across sectors, and among health and social workers, in particular, there is an increased risk. Previous studies have shown that work environmental factors contribute to sick leave. Hence, the identification of specific organizational and psychosocial risk factors for long- term sick leave, taking into account potential confounding related to mechanical risk factors such as lifting and awkward body postures, will be of importance in the work of prevention.

Methods

A randomly drawn population sample of Norwegian residents was interviewed about working conditions in 2009 (n = 12,255; response rate 60.9%). Female health and social care workers (n = 925) were followed in a national registry for subsequent sickness absence during 2010. The outcome of interest was doctor-certified sick leave of 21 days or more (long-term sick leave). Eleven work-related psychosocial and organizational factors were evaluated.

Results

In total, 186 persons (20.1%) were classified with subsequent long-term sick leave. After thoroughly adjusting for competing explanatory variables, the most consistent predictors for long-term sick leave were violence and threats of violence (OR = 1.67; 95% CI 1.14–2.45). The estimated population attributable risk for violence and threats of violence was 13%.

Conclusions

The present study among female health and social care workers revealed a substantial relationship between self-reported violence and threats of violence and subsequent long- term sick leave.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Aagestad et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

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