Sickness absence: A gender-focused review.
Women compared with men are generally considered to have higher sickness absence rates. Also determinants of sickness absent may differ between the sexes, a relevant area of knowledge for organizations that want to fine-tune particular measures to particular determinants. The present article offers a review of the literature regarding the relationships between sickness absence and gender. Various explanations mentioned in the literature are discussed using a classification derived from the Multi-Facet Gender and Health Model. Women compared to men seem indeed more frequently absent at work but this depends on countries, age - and professional groups, and seems restricted to short-term absence. Main conclusions with respect to future research concern the desirability of context-sensitive research and the usefulness of short-term versus long-term absenteeism as an outcome variable. Additionally, we recommend to further investigate the effects of organizational and psychosocial gender-related work characteristics, gender-bias in diagnostics and treatment, as well as gender differences in specific person-related factors interacting with gender differences in work-related daily life factors.
Bekker
Marrie H J
MH
Department of Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands. m.h.j.bekker@uvt.nl
Rutte
Christel G
CG
van Rijswijk
Karen
K
D002055:Burnout, Professional; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012737:Sex Factors; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000639:trends*