This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 1403494809346871v1 37/8/839    most recent References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Bryngelson, A. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Bryngelson, A. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Long-term sickness absence and social exclusion

Centre for Health Equity Studies (CHESS), Stockholm University/Karolinska Institute, and Division of Rehabilitation Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, anna.bryngelson{at}chess.su.se, anna.bryngelson{at}ki.se

Background: In previous research, ill-health and marginalization from the labour market have been pointed out as potential triggers for being marginalized from other spheres of society as well, e.g. economic, political and social, i.e. social exclusion. However, very few studies have examined the consequences of long-term sickness absence. Aim: The research question raised here is therefore to examine the relationship between long-term sickness absence (60 days) and social exclusion among individuals. Methods: The logistic regression analyses are based on longitudinal data (n = 3,144) from the Swedish Level of Living Survey linked to register data. Results: The results suggest that both women and men have higher odds of having no excess cash (‘‘cash margins’’) after their long-term sickness absence, compared with people with no such sickness absence. Women seem more likely to have no cash margins combined with being single/unmarried and having no close friends after long-term sickness absence, than do women without such sick-listing. The results indicate a slight mediating effect of employment status on the odds ratios for these economic and social conditions. Conclusions: The present study suggests that long-term sickness absence increases the risk of adverse economic and social conditions among individuals. That these conditions can be seen as indicators of social exclusion is more doubtful.

Key Words: Consequences • longitudinal data • long-term sickness absence • social exclusion • Sweden

This version was published on November 1, 2009

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Vol. 37, No. 8, 839-845 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1403494809346871


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?