Associations between work environment, health status and sick leave among pregnant employees

Aims: To study the associations between and timing of psychosocial and physical work factors and health status on sick leave among Danish pregnant employees. Methods: A total of 910 pregnant women completed a questionnaire in gestational weeks 12 (baseline) and 27 (follow-up). Information about psychosocial and physical work factors and health status was obtained at baseline. Associations with sick leave ⩾14 days were estimated using logistic regression. Further, the impact of timing and duration of exposure on sick leave were examined. Results: A total of 133 women (14.6%) reported ⩾14 days of sick leave at follow-up (27 weeks of gestation). Work-related risk factors for sick leave were high work pace, low influence, low recognition, low job satisfaction, conflict in work−family balance, standing/walking, heavy lifting, and shift work/night shift. Health-related risk factors were burnout, stress, possibility of depression, low work ability, previous sick leave, and poor self-rated health. Being exposed to work-related risk factors during the first 27 weeks of pregnancy or at follow-up increased the risk of sick leave compared with those not exposed at any time or only exposed at baseline. Poor health status increased the risk if women were exposed in the first 27 weeks of pregnancy; however, high possibility of depression was also a risk factor when experienced in early pregnancy. Conclusions: Psychosocial and physical work-related risk factors and poor health status were associated with more sick leave in pregnant employees. Early adjustment of work-related risk factors at the workplace is needed to reduce sick leave

Effects of a randomized controlled intervention trial on return to work and health care utilization after long-term sickness absence

Abstract Background The aim of the RCT study was to investigate if the effect of a multidisciplinary intervention on return to work (RTW) and health care utilization differed by participants’ self-reported health status at baseline, defined by a) level of somatic symptoms, b) health anxiety and c) self-reported general health. Methods A total of 443 individuals were randomized to the intervention (n = 301) or the control group (n = 142) and responded to a questionnaire measuring health status at baseline. Participants were followed in registries measuring RTW and health care utilization. Relative risk (RR) and odds ratio (OR) were used as measures of associations. Results were adjusted for gender, age, educational level, work ability and previous sick leave. Results Among all responders we found no effect of the intervention on RTW. Among participants with low health anxiety, the one-year probability of RTW was lower in the intervention than in the control group (RR = 0.79 95 % CI 0.68-0.93), but for those with high health anxiety there was no difference between the groups (RR = 1.15 95 % CI 0.84-1.57). Neither general health nor somatic symptoms modified the effect of the intervention on RTW. The intervention had no effect on health care utilization. Conclusions The multidisciplinary intervention did not facilitate RTW or decrease health care utilization compared to ordinary case management in subgroups with multiple somatic symptoms, health anxiety or low self-rated health. However, the intervention resulted in a reduced chance of RTW among participants with low health anxiety levels. Trial registration ISRCTN43004323 , and ISRCTN5144568

Educational attainment and work disability in cancer survivors:Do diagnosis and comorbidity affect this association?

Objectives: To study whether educational attainment had less impact on work disability in cancer survivors than in individuals without cancer. To study whether comorbidity had a higher impact on work disability in low-educated cancer survivors than in high-educated and whether this impact differed when compared with individuals without cancer. Methods: Linkage of population-based public health survey data and the Danish Cancer Registry formed two groups: cancer survivors (n = 3,514) and cancer-free individuals (n = 171,262). In logistic regression models, the risk of experiencing an 8-week sick leave spell and the granting of disability pension within a 3-year follow-up period was studied in three educational levels and whether these associations were modified by history of cancer and comorbidity. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) are reported. Results: Non-stratified adjusted risk of experiencing an 8-week sick leave spell (OR: 1.41, 95% CI (1.33–1.49)) or being granted a disability pension (OR: 1.61, 95% CI (1.31–1.97)) was significantly higher in low-educated than in high-educated respondents. Cancer or comorbidity did not significantly interact with education on the risk of work disability. Conclusions: A moderate impact of low education on future work disability was found for all respondents, neither history of cancer nor comorbidity modified this association