• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.443-449
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• 2020

Background: The study tries to show the effect of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legislation implemented via plan-do-check-act methodology on accident and sickness absenteeism. Methods: The data for the study gathered via a questionnaire from a large-sized organization operates in production and maintenance of passenger coaches in February-March 2019 in Turkey. The data analyzed via structural equation model analysis. Results: The results showed that there are statistically meaningful relationships between OHS protective measures, training and informing of employees, and employee participation and accident and sickness absenteeism. In addition, a meaningful relationship between internal control and accident and sickness absenteeism was determined. Statistically meaningful relationships between emergency measures, and health surveillance and internal control, and accident and sickness absenteeism could not be determined. Conclusion: It is concluded that the actions implemented by organizations to reduce absenteeism should be as per OHS legislation.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.109-114
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• 2018

Background: Although work absenteeism is in the focus of occupational health, longitudinal studies on organizational absenteeism records in hospital work are lacking. This longitudinal study tests time pressure and lack of time autonomy to be related to higher sickness absenteeism. Methods: Data was collected for 180 employees (45% nurses) of a Swiss hospital at baseline and at follow-up after 1 year. Absent times (hours per month) were received from the human resources department of the hospital. One-year follow-up of organizational absenteeism records were regressed on self-reported job satisfaction, time pressure, and time autonomy (i.e., control) at baseline. Results: A multivariate regression showed significant prediction of absenteeism by time pressure at baseline and time autonomy, indicating that a stress process is involved in some sickness absenteeism behavior. Job satisfaction and the interaction of time pressure and time autonomy did not predict sickness absenteeism. Conclusion: Results confirmed time pressure and time autonomy as limiting factors in healthcare and a key target in work redesign.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.536-543
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• 2021

Background: Sickness absenteeism is an area of concern in nursing and is more concerning given the recent impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare. This study is one of two meta-analyses that examined sickness absenteeism in nursing. In this study, we examined demographic, lifestyle, and physical health predictors. Methods: We reviewed five databases (CINAHL, ProQuest Allied, ProQuest database theses, PsycINFO, and PubMed) for our search. We registered the systematic review (CRD de-identified) and followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. Additionally, we used the Population/Intervention/Comparison/Outcome Tool to improve our searches. Results: Following quality testing, 17 articles were used for quantitative synthesis. Female employees were at higher risks of sickness absenteeism than their male counterparts (OR = 1.73; 95% CI: 1.33-2.25). Nursing staff who rated their health as poor had a greater likelihood of experiencing sickness absence (OR = 1.38; 95% CI: 1.19-1.60). Also, previous sick leave predicted future leaves (OR = 3.35; 95% CI: 1.37-8.19). Moreover, experiencing musculoskeletal pain (OR = 2.41 95% CI: 1.77-3.27) increased the likelihood of sickness absence with greater odds when it is a back pain (OR = 3.05; 95% CI: 1.66-5.62). Increased age, physical activity, and sleep were not associated with sick leave. Conclusion: Several variables were statistically associated with the occurrence of sickness absenteeism. One primary concern is the limited research in this area despite alarming rates of sick leave in healthcare. More research is required to identify predictors of sickness absence, and thereby, implement preventative measures.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.26 no.4 s.44
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• pp.574-586
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• 1993

This study was to examine the actual conditions and contributing factors of absenteeism in manufacturing workers. Subjects were 1,184 workers employed in Taejon city and the observation period for absenteeism was 3 months (June to August), 1992. We obtained the following results. 1. Percentage of the absentees among the studied subjects were 21.1% in gross absence and 6.9% in sickness absence. Gross absence rate of subjects was 1.2% and sickness absence rate was 0.5%. 2. In the group of absentees, mean days of absence was 2.8 days and those of sickness was 4.4 days. Mean days of sickness absence due to injury was higher than that of illness, but the total days of sickness absence was high in extremity injuries, trunk injury, general fatigue, head injury, musculoskeletal problem in that order. 3. Variables contributing to the absence were job classification, education level, working hours per day, exposure of noxious factor, worker classification. 4. In the group of absentees, variables influencing the gross absence rate were working atmosphere, body mass infer, working environment, working hours per day but those of the sickness absence were working hours per day, education level and working atomosphere.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.276-281
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• 2017

Background: The present study was carried out to assess the relationship between sickness absence and occupational stress, sleep quality, and amplitude and stability of circadian rhythm as well as to determine contributing factors of sickness absence. Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted on 400 randomly selected employees of an Iranian gas company. The data were collected using Pittsburgh sleep quality index, Karolinska sleepiness scale, circadian type inventory, and Osipow occupational stress questionnaires. Results: The mean age and job tenure of the participants were $33.18{\pm}5.64years$ and $6.06{\pm}4.99years$, respectively. Also, the participants had been absent from work on average 2.16 days a year. According to the results, 209 participants had no absences, 129 participants had short-term absences, and 62 participants had long-term absences. The results showed a significant relationship between short-term absenteeism and amplitude of circadian rhythm [odds ratio (OR) = 6.13], sleep quality (OR = 14.46), sleepiness (OR = 2.08), role boundary (OR = 6.45), and responsibility (OR = 5.23). Long-term absenteeism was also significantly associated with amplitude of circadian rhythm (OR = 2.42), sleep quality (OR = 21.56), sleepiness (OR = 6.44), role overload (OR = 4.84), role boundary (OR = 4.27), and responsibility (OR = 3.72). Conclusion: The results revealed that poor sleep quality, amplitude of circadian rhythm, and occupational stress were the contributing factors for sickness absence in the study population.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.228-234
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• 2020

Background: The concept of social capital has its focus on cooperative relations in the workplace. This study investigates the association between social capital and sickness absence among workers in 41 work groups in the Danish dairy industry and examines the possible effects of an intervention on social capital in the workplace on sickness absence. Methods: A sample of 791 dairy workers working in 41 work groups that participated in an intervention study on social capital filled in a questionnaire on four subtypes of social capital, and social capital scores from individual participants were aggregated to the level of work groups. Sickness absence was measured at the level of work groups in company registers as the two-year average percentage of working time lost to sickness absence. Group-level associations between social capital and sickness absence were analyzed using multilevel linear regression analysis. Analyses were adjusted for age, gender, group size, and random effects at the workplace level. Results: We found statistically significant associations between social capital within work groups, social capital in relation to the immediate manager, and social capital toward the workplace as a whole on the one side and sickness absence on the other side. We found no support for any effects of the intervention on sickness absence. Conclusion: The work group level of social capital is associated with the work group level of sickness absence. However, the intervention to enhance group-level social capital had no effect on reducing sickness absence in the intervention group.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.35-39
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• 1980

The researcher intended to investigate the rate of absenteeism and other related statistics among the workers in a steel and iron industry with the criteria and the recommendation of the International Association on Occupational Health. With the well designed questionaire and interview, 1,882 workers were surveyed from July the 24th to the 28th, 1978. The results were as follows; The workers who experienced absence were 16.8% in July. The rate of frequency (spells) was 3.24, the duration was 4.65, the frequency (persons) was 345.20, and the lost time was 1.27. 41.0% among the absentee experienced sickness absences and the rates of sickness absence were as follow; the frequency (spells) nab 1.34, the duration was 2.29, the frequency (persons) was 101.06 and the lost time was 0.63, respectively. The main causes of sickness absence were general symptoms, such as fatigue (50.8%) and gastro-intestinal symptoms (13.8%). The frequency of sickness was highly correlated to the frequency of drinking, the amount of smoking, the physical work-load and the amount of drinking, which was analysed by the stepwize multiple regrssion analysis. The multiple R due to the above mentioned four variables was 0.320 and the R square was 10.3%.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.134-145
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify factors affecting clinical nurses' presenteeism. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used in which participants completed self-report questionnaires that consisted of measures for nurses' job satisfaction, job stress, professionalism and presenteeism. 267 nurses working in general hospital participated in this study. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate predictors of the presenteeism in clinical nurses. Results: 250 nurses experienced one or more health problems last one month. The group who experienced presenteeism during the last one year had significant differences in professionalism and perceived productivity. Predictors of sickness presenteeism in clinical nurses included work experience, total health problem and last 1 year absenteeism. Last 1 year absenteeism and total health problem were strongly related to presenteeism in clinical nurses. Conclusion: Major findings of this study indicated that in dealing with nurses' presenteeism, not only managing nurses' job stress and job satisfaction but also providing flexible work schedule and increasing staffing level as an organizational approach are necessary to be considered. Further repeated and expanded research is needed to explore the multidimensional aspects of nurses' presenteeism including a broad range of work setting and the influence of Korean nurses' organizational culture on presenteeism.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.201-206
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• 2022

Background: The present objective was to verify whether burnout (emotional exhaustion [EE], depersonalization [DP] and low professional efficacy [PE]) is a risk factor for long-term sickness absence (LTSA; 30 consecutive days) from the teaching role. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study with two years of follow-up that investigated 509 elementary and high-school teachers. Burnout was identified by Maslach Burnout Inventory. Poisson regression with robust variance was used to adjust for possible confounders. Results: The incidence of LTSA was 9.4%. High EE levels were associated with LTSA in the crude analysis, but the association lost statistical significance after adjustments (for sex, age, perception of work-life balance, general self-rated health, chronic pain and depression). High DP levels were associated with this outcome, even after all adjustments (relative risk = 1.80; 95% confidence interval: 1.05-3.09). Low PE levels were not related to LTSA. Conclusion: The results reinforce the need to improve teachers' work conditions to reduce burnout, particularly DP, and its consequences.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.350-356
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• 2022

Background: Although sick leave is a complex phenomenon, it is believed that there is potential for prevention at the workplace. However, little is known about this potential and what specific measures should be implemented. The purpose of the study was to identify perceived reasons to take work-related sick leave and to suggest preventive measures. The study was completed before the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, and the risk factors identified may have been amplified during the pandemic. Methods: An in-depth cross-sectional survey was conducted across a randomly selected sample of hospital nurses in Norway. The national sample comprised 1,297 nurses who participated in a survey about their sick leave during the previous 6 months. An open-ended question about perceived reasons for work-related sick leave was included to gather qualitative information. Results: Among hospital nurses, 27% of the last occurring sick leave incidents were perceived to be work-related. The most common reasons were high physical workload, high work pace, sleep problems, catching a viral or bacterial infection from patients or colleagues, and low staffing. Conclusions: Over a quarter of the last occurring sick leave incidents among Norwegian hospital nurses are potentially preventable. To retain and optimize scarce hospital nursing resources, strategies to reduce work-related sick leave may provide human and financial benefits. Preventive measures may include careful monitoring of nurses' workload and pace, optimizing work schedules to reduce the risk of sleep problems, and increasing staffing to prevent stress and work overload.