Self-reported sickness absence and presenteeism as predictors of future disability pension: Cohort study with 11-year register follow-up

Associations of depressive symptoms and psychosocial working conditions with sickness absences in a Finnish cohort of 11,495 employees

Objective

To examine the relevance of questions on psychosocial working conditions and depressive symptoms, as used in a screening questionnaire in preventive occupational health care, to predict repetitive short or long sickness absences.

Methods

The participants were 11,495 employees of various occupations in Finnish companies. The data were prospectively collected by one occupational healthcare service provider (Finla) and included register data of sickness absences and responses to a questionnaire used in pre-employment and periodic health examinations between 2011 and 2019. Long sickness absences of > 30 days and repetitive short sickness absences of one to ten days in a 24-month follow-up were used as outcome variables for multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results

Strong associations were found between repetitive short and long sickness absences, and the questions on depressive symptoms "felt hopeless about the future", "felt melancholic", "felt everything was an effort", and "feelings of worthlessness". Among questions on psychosocial working conditions, strong associations were found between sickness absences and questions on decision authority, self-reformation opportunities, job versatility, and appreciation for their work.

Conclusions

Questionnaires on depressive symptoms and psychosocial work environment can help identify patients with an increased risk of sickness absence. Data accumulating in occupational health care should be used more systematically to reduce the risk of work disability through targeted occupational health interventions.

Predictive value of Heart Rate Variability measurements and the Brief Resilience Scale for workability and vitality

BACKGROUND

Sustainable employability is increasingly important with current socio-economic challenges. Screening for resilience could contribute to early detection of either a risk, or a protector for sustainable employability, the latter being operationalized as workability and vitality.

OBJECTIVE

To study the predictive value of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) measurements and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) for worker self-reported workability and vitality after 2-4 years.

METHODS

Prospective observational cohort study with mean follow-up period of 38 months. 1,624 workers (18-65 years old) in moderate and large companies participated. Resilience was measured by HRV (one-minute paced deep breathing protocol) and the BRS at baseline. Workability Index (WAI), and the Vitality dimension of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-9 (UWES-9-vitality) were the outcome measures. Backward stepwise multiple regression analysis (p < 0.05) was performed to evaluate the predictive value of resilience for workability and vitality, adjusted for body mass index, age and gender.

RESULTS

N = 428 workers met inclusion criteria after follow-up. The contribution of resilience, measured with the BRS, was modest but statistically significant for the prediction of vitality (R2 = 7.3%) and workability (R2 = 9.2%). HRV did not contribute to prediction of workability or vitality. Age was the only significant covariate in the WAI model.

CONCLUSION

Self-reported resilience modestly predicted workability and vitality after 2-4 years. Self-reported resilience may provide early insight into the ability of workers to stay at work, although caution must be applied because explained variance was modest. HRV was not predictive.

Are You All right (AYA)? Association of cumulative traumatic events among Danish police officers with mental health, work environment and sickness absenteeism: protocol of a 3-year prospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Police officers are frequently exposed to potentially traumatic events at work that increases risk of developing mental health problems, in particular post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Individual and organisational factors may influence the detrimental effects of cumulative exposure to traumatic events. Occupational stress and lack of organisational support are associated with increased risk of PTSD among police officers. The Are You All right? (AYA) project is a prospective cohort study investigating the cumulative effect of traumatic events at work on mental health problems and absenteeism among police officers. The study also investigates whether potential risk and protective factors modify the association of traumatic events at work with mental health problems and absenteeism.

METHOD AND ANALYSIS

The AYA-study includes the entire Danish police force. Prospective survey data are collected over a 3-year period beginning in the spring of 2021. Electronic surveys are sent out at baseline with 1-year, 2-year and 3-year follow-up. Further, short surveys are sent out every third month, covering exposure to traumatic events and current mental health status. The survey data are paired with workplace register data on sickness absence. Register data on sickness absence cover the period from 2020 to 2025.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study was presented for evaluation at the National Ethics Committee in Denmark (reference number: 20202000-216), but according to Danish legislation, survey studies do not require approval by official Danish scientific or ethical committees. Participation in the project is based on informed consent, and data are handled in accordance with the Danish data legislation (journal number: 20/41457). Results are published in scientific journals and disseminated at international conferences.