title: The effect of mental ill health on absence from work in different occupational classifications: analysis of routine data in the British Household Panel Survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate relationship of mental ill health to absence from work in different occupational classifications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Examined sickness absence, mental health (GHQ-12), physical health, job characteristics, and personal characteristics in 18 waves of the British Household Panel Survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall sickness absence rate was 1.68%. Increased absence was associated with age greater than 45 years, female gender, lower occupational classification, and public-sector employers. Decreased absence was associated with part-time working. Scoring 4 or more on the General Health Questionnaire 12-item version (GHQ-12 caseness) was strongly associated with sickness absence. Public-sector employers had highest rates of sickness absence. GHQ-12 caseness had largest impact on absence in the public and nonprofit sectors, whereas physical health problems impacted more in the private sector.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GHQ-12 caseness is strongly associated with increased absence in all classifications of occupations. Differences between sectors require further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences Research Group, School of Community Based Medicine, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Will
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Whittaker
authors.forename: Matt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sutton
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Macdonald
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maxwell
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morrison
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D009939:Organizations, Nonprofit; D017149:Private Sector; D017150:Public Sector; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom