Psychosocial factors and work related sickness absence among permanent and non-permanent employees.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the association between psychosocial work factors and work related sickness absence among permanent and non-permanent employees by sex.


METHODS
A cross sectional survey conducted in 2000 of a representative sample of the European Union total active population, aged 15 years and older. The independent variables were psychological job demands and job control as measures of psychosocial work environment, and work related sickness absence as the main outcome. Poisson regression models were used to compute sickness absence days' rate ratios.


METHODS
15 countries of the European Union.


METHODS
A sample of permanent (n = 12 875) and non-permanent (n = 1203) workers from the Third European Survey on Working Conditions.


RESULTS
High psychological job demands, low job control, and high strain and passive work were associated with higher work related sickness absence. The risks were more pronounced in non-permanent compared with permanent employees and men compared with women.


CONCLUSIONS
This work extends previous research on employment contracts and sickness absence, suggesting different effects depending on psychosocial working conditions and sex.
Gimeno
David
D
Occupational Health Research Unit, Department of Experimental Sciences and Health, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, C/Dr. Aiguader 80, 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. david.gimeno@upf.edu
Benavides
Fernando G
FG
Amick
Benjamin C
BC
Benach
Joan
J
Martínez
José Miguel
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D032982:Contracts; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D010559:Personnel Management; D012307:Risk Factors; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology