Affiliations: Division of Social Medicine and Public Health,
Department of Health and Society, Linköpings Universitet, Sweden | Department of Social Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy,
University of Göteborg, Sweden | Personal Injury Prevention, Department of Clinical
Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Karin Borg, Division of Social
Medicine and Public Health Science, Department of Health and Society, Faculty
of Health Sciences, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden. Tel.: +46 13 222479; Fax:
+46 13 221865; E-mail: karin.borg@ihs.liu.se
Abstract: In recent years sickness absence has increased in most Western
countries. Risk factors for sickness absence and disability pension have been
emphasised in studies, while focus on factors predicting low sickness absence
is very rare. This paper is an attempt to apply such a perspective in an
11-year prospective cohort study of young persons n = 213) who
in 1985 were sick listed ≥ 28 days with back, neck, or
shoulder diagnoses. Having had no sick-leave spells > 14 days
in 1992–1996 was used as the outcome measure. Sixty-nine persons (34%) had no
such spells, with an unexpected similar proportion of men and women. Data on
prior sick leave and demographic variables were analysed using univariate and
multiple logistic regression. Factors that predicted low sickness absence were
having prior low sickness absence, being a white-collar worker, and being
married. We concluded that individuals with a history of low sickness absence
have an increased odds for remaining in the work force after a single long
sick-leave spell, and might need less attention in rehabilitation compared to
persons with a history of high sickness absence. Focusing on low sickness
absence led to different results than those discussed in previous studies on
risk factors for disability pension.
Keywords: sick leave, musculoskeletal diagnoses, back pain
