title: Sickness absence in the freezing industry.
abstract: A study was undertaken to determine the aetiology and incidence of sickness absence in two freezing works in the South Island. The study was carried out in a 12 month period from May 1982 to April 1983. Each participant, in addition to a sickness absence questionnaire, was given a job stress questionnaire, to determine the effect of stress factors on absenteeism. A further job involvement questionnaire was used to assess prevailing attitudes to work. It was found that sickness caused by zoonotic illness accounted for only 6.8% of all absences. The majority of sickness absences were caused by nonzoonotic viral infections 39.3%, surgical operations 17.1%; and stress related disease 15.4%. It was concluded that stress related illness was a greater cause of sickness absence than zoonotic illness in the survey period.
authors.affiliation: Christchurch School of Medicine.
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Turner
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000818:Animals; D001290:Attitude; D002417:Cattle; D005615:Freezing; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008462:Meat-Packing Industry; D009520:New Zealand; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012621:Seasons; D012756:Sheep; D012918:Social Alienation; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D013552:Swine; D015047:Zoonoses