title: [Occupational gratification crisis and sickness absence in Germany: Cross-sectional results from the lidA-study].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Demographic change is leading to a shrinking and ageing workforce in industrialized nations. Therefore, sickness absence may become a relevant problem. Increasing absenteeism and retirement rates due to mental disorders raise the question of an association between work-related stress and sickness absence. Studies on this matter, particularly in older employees, are rare.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We studied for the first time in Germany the relationship between effort-reward imbalance (ERI) and overall or long-term sickness absence.
  
  
  METHODS
  LidA ( "Living at Work") is a German cohort study on work, age, health, and work participation. A total of 6,339 employees born in 1959 and 1965 who were subject to social insurance contributions were interviewed nationwide using a representative sample concept. The response rate was 27.3 %. The sample showed high representativeness and no selectivity relating to 16 sociodemographic items. Sickness absence was defined as at least one long-term sickness absence with at least 43 days of absenteeism. Work-related stress was parameterized by ERI tertiles. Multiple logistic regression adjusting for age, sex, mental disorders, social status, and working time was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High levels of work-related stress were significantly associated with overall and long-term sickness absence among older employees after adjusting for covariates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our unique findings on work-related stress and sickness absence in Germany are in agreement with the results of most international studies. Reducing work-related stress could help to preserve the workforce.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Sicherheitstechnik, Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Gaußstraße 20, 42119, Wuppertal, Deutschland, duprel@uni-wuppertal.de.
authors.forename: Jean-Baptist
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: du Prel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: March
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schröder
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012179:Retirement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012923:Social Class; D055815:Young Adult