title: Work-family characteristics as determinants of sickness absence: a large-scale cohort study of three occupational grades.
abstract: This study examined the previously unexplored occupational grade-specific relationships of domestic responsibilities, the age of children, and work-family spillover, with registered sickness absence (>3 days' sick leave episodes, a mean follow-up of 17 months; n = 18,366 municipal employees; 76% women). The results showed that negative spillover from work into family life predicted a heightened rate of sickness absence spells among both women and men in all occupational categories (except upper white-collar men), but especially among blue-collar and lower white-collar employees. Furthermore, among all white-collar employees (except upper white-collar men), having young children (<7 years of age) was predictive of an increased absence rate. Bearing the main responsibility for domestic work did not considerably predict sickness absenteeism in any occupational grade. The authors conclude that some specific work-family characteristics play a role in sickness absence, but their impact on sickness absence partly varies according to gender and occupational grade.
authors.affiliation: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Centre of Expertise for Work Organizations, Helsinki, Finland. ari.vaananen@ttl.fi
authors.forename: Ari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Väänänen
authors.forename: Riitta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumpulainen
authors.forename: May V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Kevin
authors.forename: Leena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ala-Mursula
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kouvonen
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kivimäki
authors.forename: Minna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toivanen
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Linna
authors.forename: Jussi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vahtera
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018582:Sick Leave; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires