[Analysis of short-term time off of health workers in a health area].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the characteristics of short-term time off work (STT): duration, causes and distribution by age, and sex.


METHODS
Descriptive, observational study.


METHODS
Area 1, Madrid, Spain.


METHODS
Health workers with STT in Area 1, Madrid, during the first 6 months of 2003.


METHODS
The variables studied were: date of start and finish of STT, its duration, its cause (ICD-9), age, and sex.


RESULTS
Four-hundred eighteen health workers (3.7%), with a mean age of 32.7+/-20 years old and 78.79% women. Respiratory pathology was the most frequent cause of STT (38%) in both sexes and in all age-groups, except in the youngest (<25), in whom bone and muscle pathology was more common. In decreasing order of frequency appeared bone and muscle pathology (26%), infections (13%), and mental illness (10%). The average duration of STT was 38.8+/-88.7 days. There was a statistically significant relationship between the duration of STT and its cause. Respiratory pathology was the shortest (8.85; 95% CI, 6.54-11.17) and mental illness, the longest (153.8; 95% CI, 87-220.75). The age group with most STT (37-45 years old) had a mean length of STT lower (26.93; 95% CI, 16.34-37.51) than the oldest age group (>56), which had less, but longer-lasting STT (57.18; 95% CI, 10.74-103.63), though this was not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
The pathology causing STT is the factor that most determines STT's duration. Its prevention would be the best way of managing STT.
López Cuenca
Sonia
S
Medicina de Familia, Centro de Salud Federica Montseny, Madrid, España. sonia_l_c@hotmail.com
Albaladejo Vicente
Romana
R
Villanueva Orbáiz
Rosa
R
Domínguez Rojas
Vicente
V
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013030:Spain; D013997:Time Factors