Affiliations: Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation,
Umeå University, Sweden | Department of Public Health and Medicine,
Umeå University, Sweden
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Annie Hansen, Department of
Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Occupational Therapy, Umeå University,
SE-901 87 Umeå Sweden. Tel.: +46 (0)907869279; Fax: +46 (0)907869267; E-mail:
annie.j.hansen@occupther.umu.se
Abstract: There are increasing numbers of people on long-term sick leave,
especially with stress-related ill health and musculoskeletal disorders. The
main purpose of this study is to, early on in the sick leave, find predictors
of individual resources for a return to work. The study group consists of women
and men on sick leave compared with reference groups of healthy persons. A
questionnaire was used regarding diagnosis given on the doctor's certificate,
self-reported symptoms, residential area, education, and kind of work. It also
contained open questions about consequences in daily life and beliefs about
future. Checklists concerning life satisfaction, sense of coherence, locus of
control, coping resources and sick leave information over a four-year period
have been used. Significant differences between the study group and the
reference groups were found, relating to sense of coherence, locus of control,
life satisfaction and coping resources. More than half of the study group were
still on sick leave at a two-year follow-up. Important predictive factors
turned out to be: previous sick leave, own belief about future and
self-reported symptoms.
Keywords: Sick leave, sense of coherence, locus of control, coping, life satisfaction
