title: The relation between presenteeism and different types of future sickness absence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to examine the relation between sickness presenteeism and different types of future sickness absence in 2,983 Belgian middle-aged workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from 1,372 male and 1,611 female workers. Presenteeism was assessed by a single question, evaluating the frequency of occasions of going at work, despite illness, during the preceding year. Prospective, registered sickness absence data were collected during 12 months of follow-up. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to investigate the relationship between presenteeism and short/long spells of absenteeism and high sickness absence frequency.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High rates (>5 times) of presenteeism at baseline were significantly and independently associated with both long spells of sickness absence (at least 15 consecutive sick leave days) (men, OR=2.73, 95% CI=1.24-6.03; women, OR=2.40, 95% CI=1.31-4.40) and short spells of sickness absence (sick leave between 1 and 3 days) (men, OR=2.38, 95% CI=1.25-4.51; women, OR=1.90, 95% CI=1.17-3.11) in both genders during one year follow-up. Moderate rates (2-5 times) of presenteeism were significantly associated with long spells of sickness absence only in the male group (OR=1.90, 95%CI= 1.21-2.97). With regard to high sickness frequency (at least 3 sick leave episodes), a significant and positive association with high rates of presenteeism was demonstrated only in the female workers (OR=2.38, 95% CI=1.40-4.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that presenteeism was related to different types of future sickness absence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Ghent University.
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Janssens
authors.forename: Els
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Clays
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: De Clercq
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Bacquer
authors.forename: Lutgart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Braeckman
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D017132:Workplace / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*