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Determinants of sick-leave duration: A tool for managers?

University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands, p.a.flach{at}rug.nl

Boudien Krol

University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

Johan W. Groothoff

University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

Aims: To provide managers with tools to manage episodes of sick-leave of their employees, the influence of factors such as age, gender, duration of tenure, working full-time or part-time, cause and history of sick-leave, salary and education on sick-leave duration was studied. Method: In a cross-sectional study, data derived from the 2005 sick-leave files of a Dutch university were examined. Odds ratios of the single risk factors were calculated for short spells (7 days), medium spells (8— 42 days), long spells (43—91 days) or extended spells (91 days) of sick-leave. Next, these factors were studied in multiple regression models. Results: Age, gender, duration of employment, cause and history of sick-leave, salary and membership of scientific staff, studied as single factors, have a significant influence on sick-leave duration. In multiple models, this influence remains for gender, salary, age, and history and cause of sick-leave. Only in medium or long spells and regarding the risk for a long or an extended spell do the predictive values of models consisting of psychological factors, work-related factors, salary and gender become reasonable. Conclusions: The predictive value of the risk factors used in this study is limited, and varies with the duration of the sick-leave spell. Only the risk for an extended spell of sick-leave as compared to a medium or long spell is reasonably predicted. Factors contributing to this risk may be used as tools in decision-making.

Key Words: Determinants • duration • predictor • sickness absence

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Vol. 36, No. 7, 713-719 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1403494808092251


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