Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem REBEn

This is a descriptive study about the illness-absenteism process among workers in a large emergency hospital in the city of Belo Horizonte, in 2002. The illnessabsenteeism process was analyzed considering frequency, reason (DIC10), duration and risk, according to the different professions. The professional categories were: support, administration, nursing and medicine. The rate illness-absenteísm in this hospital was 2,06. The possibility for leave of absence for each profession was 4,7. This rate was influenced by with rate 8,48. Found in the category missing. The main reason for leave of absences was related to orthopedics diseases (14,68%), other health problems (13,59%) and respiratory diseases (13,32%). Descriptors: Absenteeism; Workers; Emergency service, hospital.