The association between part-time and temporary employment and sickness absence: a prospective Swedish twin study.

Gunnar Bergström,Petra Lindfors,Victoria Blom,Björg Helgadóttir,Pia Svedberg,Lisa Mather

doi:10.1093/eurpub/cky145

Gunnar Bergström, Petra Lindfors + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/cky145

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Abstract

BackgroundSickness absence (SA) is becoming a major economic problem in many countries. Our aim was to investigate whether type of employment, including temporary employment or part-time employment, is associated with SA while controlling for familial factors (genetic and shared environment). Differences between men and women and across employment sectors were explored.MethodsThis is a prospective twin study based on 21 105 twins born in Sweden 1959–85. The participants completed a survey in 2005 with follow-up of SA (≥15 days), using register data, until end of 2013. The data were analyzed with logistic regression, with results presented as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).ResultsTemporary employment involved higher odds of SA (OR=1.21 95% CI=1.04–1.40) compared to full-time employment. Both part-time workers (OR=0.84 95% CI=0.74–0.95) and the self-employed (OR=0.77 95%CI=0.62–0.94) had lower odds of SA. Stratifying by sex showed lower odds for part-timers (OR=0.82 95% CI=0.73–0.94) and self-employed women (OR=0.65 95% CI=0.47–0.90), but higher odds for men in temporary employment (OR=1.33 95% CI=1.03–1.72). Temporary employees in county councils (OR=1.73 95% CI=1.01–2.99) and municipalities (OR=1.41 95% CI=1.02–1.96) had higher odds while part-timers employed in the private sector had lower odds (OR=0.77 95% CI=0.64–0.93). Familial factors did not confound the association between employment type and SA.ConclusionsEmployment type is associated with SA, with temporary employment involving a higher risk compared to permanent full-time employment while both part-time employment and self-employment involved a lower risk. The associations vary between women and men and across sectors.

Highlights

Sickness absence (SA) is a complex phenomenon with it being a function of a disease or injury and its effect on work capacity, as well as the insurance rules that apply in a country
Of the 7258 participants on SA, the majority were on full-time SA (67.6%, n = 4905), while 4.9% (n = 357) were on
This held for women only (OR= 0.82 95% confidence intervals (CI) = 0.73–0.94), while no significant effect emerged for men

Summary

Introduction

Sickness absence (SA) is a complex phenomenon with it being a function of a disease or injury and its effect on work capacity, as well as the insurance rules that apply in a country. The rates of SA vary but are generally high in the Nordic countries.[1] In Sweden, the number of cases of SA has increased during the past few years,[2] and the absence duration is increasing.[3] Various risk factors for SA, apart from disease, have been explored and identified, including old age, being a woman, low socioeconomic status, poor self-rated health (SRH) and previous history of SA.[4,5,6] Still, few have studied the effect of type of employment. Results: Temporary employment involved higher odds of SA (OR=1.21 95% CI=1.04–1.40) compared to full-time employment Both part-time workers (OR=0.84 95% CI=0.74–0.95) and the self-employed (OR=0.77 95%CI=0.62–0.94) had lower odds of SA.

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