title: Shift work and sickness absence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sickness absence is increasing in public work places in Denmark where shift work is common.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this prospective study was to predict the hazard ratio (HR) of short- and long-term sickness absence due to shift work in Danish shift workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1008 shift workers and 4009 day workers were followed up for short- and long-time sickness absence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among shift workers, the HR of sickness absence lasting >or=2 weeks was 0.92 (95% CI: 0.71-1.18) for men and 0.90 for women (95% CI: 0.71-1.14). For sickness absence lasting >or=8 weeks, the HR was 1.33 (95% CI: 0.91-1.94) for men and 1.13 (95% CI: 0.81-1.59) for women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study was inconclusive in proving any link between shift work and absenteeism after controlling for age, education, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol consumption, leisure time physical activity, psychosocial and physical work environment factors.
authors.affiliation: National Research Center for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. ftu@nrcwe.dk
authors.forename: Finn
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tüchsen
authors.forename: Karl Bang
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lund
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D017770:Lifting / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D016272:Occupational Health; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*