title: Long-term sickness absence due to adjustment disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although adjustment disorder is frequently reported in clinical settings, scientific evidence is scarce regarding its impact on sickness absence and the variables associated with sickness absence duration.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report sickness absence duration and to identify predictors of long-term sickness absence in patients with adjustment disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  This observational, prospective study included subjects with non-work-related sickness absence (>15 days) after a diagnosis of adjustment disorder. A stepwise logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the best predictors of long-term sickness absence (≥ 6 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 1182 subjects in the final analysis. The median duration of sickness absence due to adjustment disorder was 91 days. Twenty-two per cent of the subjects reported long-term sickness absence. After multivariate analysis, comorbidity (OR = 2.23, 95% CI 1.43-3.49), age (25-34 years old versus <25 years old: OR = 2.78, 95% CI 1.27-6.07; 35-44 years old versus <25 years old: OR = 3.70, 95% CI 1.71-7.99; 45-54 years old versus <25 years old: OR = 3.58, 95% CI 1.60-8.02; ≥ 55 years old versus <25 years old: OR = 6.35, 95% CI 2.64-15.31) and occupational level (blue collar versus white collar: OR = 1.52, 95% CI 1.10-2.09) remained significantly associated with long-term sickness absence. Comorbidity was the strongest predictor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is possible to predict long-term sickness absence due to adjustment disorder on the basis of demographic, work-related and clinical information available during the basic assessment of the patient.
authors.affiliation: Ibermutuamur (Mutua de Accidentes de Trabajo y Enfermedades Profesionales de Seguridad Social 274), Madrid, Spain. carloscatalina@ibermutuamur.es
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Catalina-Romero
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Pastrana-Jiménez
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Tenas-López
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martínez-Muñoz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Moraga
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fernández-Labandera
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Calvo-Bonacho
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000275:Adjustment Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult