Positive and negative reasons for sickness presenteeism in Norway and Sweden: a cross-sectional survey

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Abstract

Objectives

This article investigates various reasons for sickness presenteeism (SP), that is, going to work despite illness. The research questions asked is: What are the main reported reasons for SP in Norway and Sweden?

Design

Cross-sectional survey in Norway and Sweden. Use of binomial logistic regression analysis.

Participants

A random sample of people aged between 20 and 60 years was obtained from complete and updated databases of the Norwegian and Swedish populations. A postal questionnaire was sent to the selected individuals, with response rate 33% (n=2843). 2533 workers responded to questions about SP during the last 12 months.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

The article informs about the distribution of reasons for SP in Norway and Sweden, selected by the respondents from a closed list. The article also examines which factors influence the most often reported reasons for SP.

Results

56% of the Norwegian and Swedish respondents experienced SP in the previous year. The most frequently reported reasons for SP include not burden colleagues (43%), enjoy work (37%) and feeling indispensable (35%). A lower proportion of Norwegians state that they cannot afford taking sick leave adjusted OR (aOR 0.16 (95% CI 0.10 to 0.22)), while a higher proportion of Norwegians refer to that they enjoy their work (aOR=1.64 (95% CI 1.28 to 2.09)). Women and young workers more often report that they do not want to burden their colleagues. Managers (aOR=2.19 (95% CI 1.67 to 2.86)), highly educated persons and the self-employed more often report that they are indispensable.

Conclusions

Positive and negative reasons for SP are reported, and there are significant differences between respondents from the two countries. The response rate is low and results must be interpreted with caution.

Study design

Cross-sectional study.

Related collections

Most cited references 4

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Increasing response rates to postal questionnaires: systematic review.

Phil Edwards, Ian Roberts, Mike Clarke … (2002)

To identify methods to increase response to postal questionnaires. Systematic review of randomised controlled trials of any method to influence response to postal questionnaires. 292 randomised controlled trials including 258 315 participants INTERVENTION REVIEWED: 75 strategies for influencing response to postal questionnaires. The proportion of completed or partially completed questionnaires returned. The odds of response were more than doubled when a monetary incentive was used (odds ratio 2.02; 95% confidence interval 1.79 to 2.27) and almost doubled when incentives were not conditional on response (1.71; 1.29 to 2.26). Response was more likely when short questionnaires were used (1.86; 1.55 to 2.24). Personalised questionnaires and letters increased response (1.16; 1.06 to 1.28), as did the use of coloured ink (1.39; 1.16 to 1.67). The odds of response were more than doubled when the questionnaires were sent by recorded delivery (2.21; 1.51 to 3.25) and increased when stamped return envelopes were used (1.26; 1.13 to 1.41) and questionnaires were sent by first class post (1.12; 1.02 to 1.23). Contacting participants before sending questionnaires increased response (1.54; 1.24 to 1.92), as did follow up contact (1.44; 1.22 to 1.70) and providing non-respondents with a second copy of the questionnaire (1.41; 1.02 to 1.94). Questionnaires designed to be of more interest to participants were more likely to be returned (2.44; 1.99 to 3.01), but questionnaires containing questions of a sensitive nature were less likely to be returned (0.92; 0.87 to 0.98). Questionnaires originating from universities were more likely to be returned than were questionnaires from other sources, such as commercial organisations (1.31; 1.11 to 1.54). Health researchers using postal questionnaires can improve the quality of their research by using the strategies shown to be effective in this systematic review.

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Sick at work--a risk factor for long-term sickness absence at a later date?

Raymond Andersen, M. Hansen (2009)

Little is known about the long-term consequences of sickness presence (ie, going to work despite ill-health), although one study suggests an association with coronary heart disease. This study examined the effect of sickness presence on future long-term sickness absence. Information from a random sample of 11 838 members of the Danish core workforce was collected from questionnaires, containing questions about work, family and attitudes towards sickness absence. Information on prospective sickness absence spells of at least 2 weeks was derived from an official register during a follow-up period of 1.5 years. Sickness presence is associated with long-term sickness absence of at least 2 weeks' duration as well as with spells lasting at least 2 months. Participants who had gone to work ill more than six times in the year prior to baseline had a 74% higher risk of becoming sick-listed for more than 2 months, even when controlling for a wide range of potential confounders as well as baseline health status and previous long-term sickness absence. The association was consistent for most subgroups of employees reporting various symptoms, but either disappeared or became insignificant when analysing subgroups of employees with specific chronic diseases. Going to work ill repeatedly is associated with long-term sickness absence at a later date. For this reason, researchers and policy-makers should consider this phenomenon more carefully when planning future studies of sickness absence or when laying out new policies.

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Physicians who do not take sick leave: hazardous heroes?

E Bjertness, E O Rosvold (2001)

Physicians seem to have problems in accepting their own illness, and they tend to avoid taking sick leave. This study reports the diseases that physicians bring to work, and discusses selected factors associated with the behaviour of working when ill. Of a random sample of 1,476 Norwegian physicians, 70% answered a mailed, anonymous questionnaire as a part of The Norwegian Medical Association's health survey. During one year, 80% of the physicians had worked during an illness for which they would have sick-listed their patients. More than half of the physicians in the study had worked whilst having an infectious disease. Factors independently associated with the behaviour of working when ill include being in the age group 30-39 years, working as a clinician outside hospital, having received medical treatment during the last three years, and having low job satisfaction. A large number of physicians work whilst having infections and other diseases. This behaviour might be harmful to the physicians themselves as well as to their patients and staff members.

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Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): BMJ Open

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): BMJ Open

Journal ID (hwp): bmjopen

Journal ID (publisher-id): bmjopen

Title: BMJ Open

Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group (BMA House, Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9JR )

ISSN (Electronic): 2044-6055

Publication date Collection: 2014

Publication date (Electronic): 12 February 2014

Volume: 4

Issue: 2

Electronic Location Identifier: e004123

Affiliations

[1 ]Group for Welfare Research, Eastern Norway Research Institute , Lillehammer, Norway

[2 ]Department of Psychology, Stockholm University , Stockholm, Sweden

[3 ]Division of Insurance Medicine, Karolinska Institute , Stockholm, Sweden

Author notes

[Correspondence to ] Dr Vegard Johansen; vj@ 123456ostforsk.no

Article

Publisher ID: bmjopen-2013-004123

DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2013-004123

PMC ID: 3927796

PubMed ID: 24523425

SO-VID: db235323-9e82-4807-9039-51a523e45218

License:

This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 3.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/

History

Date received : 29 September 2013

Date revision received : 8 January 2014

Date accepted : 14 January 2014

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Positive and negative reasons for sickness presenteeism in Norway and Sweden: a cross-sectional survey

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Abstract

Objectives

Design

Participants

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Results

Conclusions

Study design

Related collections

PLOS Global Public Health

Most cited references 4

Increasing response rates to postal questionnaires: systematic review.

Sick at work--a risk factor for long-term sickness absence at a later date?

Physicians who do not take sick leave: hazardous heroes?

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Cited by 35

Most referenced authors 151