Frequent short sickness absence, occupational health service utilisation and long-term sickness absence due to mental disorders among young employees

Jaakko Harkko,Tea Lallukka,Kustaa Piha,Ossi Rahkonen,Hilla Nordquist,Minna Mänty,Olli Pietiläinen,Anne Kouvonen

doi:10.1007/s00420-021-01728-5

Abstract

ObjectivesWe examined whether frequent short-term sickness absence (FSTSA) and primary care use in occupational health service (OHS) were associated with medically-certified long-term sickness absence (LTSA) due to mental disorders among young employees.MethodsWe used record-linkage data covering the young employees (< 35 years) of the City of Helsinki, Finland (n = 8,282) from 2010 to 2014. The outcome was LTSA due to mental disorders. Cox regression models were fitted.ResultsFSTSAs were associated with subsequent LTSA. Also OHS use predicted LTSA due to mental disorders; however, this association was not found for those with prior FSTSA.ConclusionsBoth FSTSA and primary care use indicate subsequent LTSA independently, and together these indicators identify a larger proportion of individuals at risk of LTSA due to mental disorders.

Highlights

Mental disorders are increasingly contributing to sickness absence (SA) from work in the economically developed countries (Lidwall et al 2018; Nicholson 2018; Mauramo et al 2018; Stansfeld et al 2011; Bultmann et al 2005)
The Kaplan–Meier survival curves stratified by gender and frequent short-term sickness absence (FSTSA) status provide a visual representation indicating women with FSTSA to have the highest prevalence of long-term sickness absence (LTSA) due to mental disorders (Fig. 1)
We found that frequent short-term sickness absence (FSTSA) due to all causes was associated with subsequent long-term sickness absence (LTSA) due to mental disorders

Summary

Introduction

Mental disorders are increasingly contributing to sickness absence (SA) from work in the economically developed countries (Lidwall et al 2018; Nicholson 2018; Mauramo et al 2018; Stansfeld et al 2011; Bultmann et al 2005). In. Finland, mental disorders are the leading cause of medically-certified long-term sickness absence (LTSA) and disability retirement alongside with musculoskeletal disorders (Kela 2017). LTSA may cause social stigma and isolate the individual from the normal day-to-day life (Nicholson 2018; Baumann 2007). This effect might be more substantial among younger employees (Knapstad et al 2014). The identification and treatment of mental disorders at early stages is very important

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion