Leisure-Time Physical Activity Reduces the Risk of Long-Term Sickness Absence Among Older Healthy Female Eldercare Workers.

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the association between leisure-time physical activity (PA) and risk of long-term sickness absence (LTSA). Data on LTSA (≥3 consecutive weeks during a 1-year follow-up) were acquired from the Danish Register for Evaluation of Marginalization and linked to a questionnaire via personal identification number. Eldercare workers from 36 Danish municipalities. Data were retrieved from 4605 healthy Danish female eldercare (i.e., workers assisting senior citizens with daily activities and health) aged 19 to 69 years, who answered a questionnaire on health, and work environment in 2005. Calculated risk of LTSA and its association with self-reported leisure-time PA. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Eldercare workers showed significantly reduced risk of LTSA when performing moderate (HR = 0.67, 95%CI 0.47-0.96), and vigorous leisure-time PA (HR = 0.45, 95%CI 0.25-0.81) (reference group: sedentary). In subgroup analyses, females over 45 years showed a risk reduction of LTSA for moderate (HR = 0.54, 95%CI 0.32-0.90), and vigorous leisure-time PA (HR = 0.43, 95%CI 0.18-0.99), whereas younger eldercare workers did not show significant risk reductions for either moderate (HR = 0.86, 95%CI 0.51-1.43) or vigorous leisure-time PA (HR = 0.50, 95%CI 0.21-1.16) in the fully adjusted model. The results indicate that moderate and, particularly, vigorous leisure-time PA reduced risk of LTSA in eldercare workers aged over 45 years.