Predicting sickness absence-are extended health check-ups of any value? Comparisons of three individual risk models.
OBJECTIVE
To predict sickness absence by three health check-up models.


METHODS
A study group of 821 participants from the public sector in Sweden where three health check-up models were compared 1) the limited variable model including smoking, body mass index, blood pressure, and cholesterol, 2) the several variable model including smoking, waist-hip ratio, blood pressure, relation between low density lipoproteins and high density lipoproteins, serum triglycerides, and fitness test, and 3) Self-rated health measured by one single question. Sickness absence data during 1 year was delivered from the employer.


RESULTS
The three models served their purpose to predict sickness absence.


CONCLUSIONS
The self-rated health-model with one single question has as good quality in predestination as more complicated models. This may have an implication for cost-effective procedures in occupational health services.
Falkenberg
Anna
A
Department of Medical Sciences, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Nyfjäll
Mats
M
Bildt
Carina
C
Vingård
Eva
E
D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D018582:Sick Leave; D012907:Smoking; D013548:Sweden