title: Psychosocial work environment predictors of short and long spells of registered sickness absence during a 2-year follow up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of psychosocial work environment factors on short and long absence spells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaire data on work environment exposures and registered absence data during 2-year follow up were analyzed with Poisson regression for 1919 employees from the private and public sector.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Short spells (1-10 working days) were predicted by low supervisor support, low predictability, and low meaning at work among men and high skill discretion among women. Long spells (>10 days) were predicted by low decision authority, low supervisor support, and low predictability among men and high psychologic demands and low decision authority among women. The variables predictability and meaning at work were developed for this study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Specific psychosocial work environment factors have both common and different effects on short and long absence spells. Effects also differ by gender.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Occupational Health, Copenhagen, Denmark. malini@fa.dk
authors.forename: Martin L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Reiner
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rugulies
authors.forename: Karl B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Smith-Hansen
authors.forename: Tage S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Kristensen
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012923:Social Class; D013997:Time Factors