title: Job strain, life events, and sickness absence: a longitudinal cohort study in a random population sample.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine job strain, adverse life events, and their co-occurrence as predictors of sickness absence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Random sample-based mail survey data on 1806 Finns in gainful employment were linked to sickness absence records (1987-1998) from national health registers. Generalized linear models with negative binomial distribution assumption were applied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjustment for demographic characteristics and health behavior, job strain (rate ratio [RR] 1.73; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.21-2.48), but not life events, independently predicted increased rate of sickness absence among men. The opposite was true for women, (RR for life events 1.39; 95% CI = 1.10-1.75). No statistically significant interaction between job strain and life events was detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In addition to job strain, strain originating in private life should be kept in mind when the need for sickness absence of women employees is evaluated within health care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 1, FIN 20014 University of Turku, Finland. sakari.suominen@utu.fi
authors.forename: Sakari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suominen
authors.forename: Jussi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vahtera
authors.forename: Katariina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Korkeila
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Helenius
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kivimäki
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koskenvuo
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*