The relation between presenteeism and different types of future sickness absence.

OBJECTIVES 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.