The prevalence of sick leave: Reasons and associated predictors - A survey among employed pregnant women

TY - JOUR

T1 - The prevalence of sick leave

T2 - Reasons and associated predictors - A survey among employed pregnant women

AU - Backhausen, Mette

AU - Damm, Peter

AU - Bendix, Jane

AU - Tabor, Ann

AU - Hegaard, Hanne

N1 - Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PY - 2018/3

Y1 - 2018/3

N2 - OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the prevalence of sick leave and self-reported reasons given for sick leave during pregnancy. Furthermore, we aimed to estimate the frequency of long-term sick leave during pregnancy in relation to pre-baseline maternal characteristics and to identify predictors of long-term sick leave.METHOD: Data from 508 employed pregnant women seeking antenatal care was collected by questionnaires from August 2015 to March 2016. The questionnaires, which were filled in at 20 and 32 weeks of gestation, provided information on maternal characteristics, the number of days spent on sick leave and the associated reasons. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were applied.RESULTS: The prevalence of sick leave was 56% of employed pregnant women in the first 32 weeks of gestation and more than one in four reported long-term sick leave (>20 days, continuous or intermittent). Low back pain was the reason most frequently stated. Fewer than one in ten stated that their sick leave was due to work-related conditions. Positive predictors of long-term sick leave were multiparity, pre-pregnancy low back pain and mental disease, while an advanced degree education was a negative predictor.CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of sick leave was 56% in the first 32 weeks of gestation and more than one in four women reported long-term sick leave. The majority of reasons for sick leave were pregnancy-related and low back pain was the most frequently given reason.

AB - OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the prevalence of sick leave and self-reported reasons given for sick leave during pregnancy. Furthermore, we aimed to estimate the frequency of long-term sick leave during pregnancy in relation to pre-baseline maternal characteristics and to identify predictors of long-term sick leave.METHOD: Data from 508 employed pregnant women seeking antenatal care was collected by questionnaires from August 2015 to March 2016. The questionnaires, which were filled in at 20 and 32 weeks of gestation, provided information on maternal characteristics, the number of days spent on sick leave and the associated reasons. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were applied.RESULTS: The prevalence of sick leave was 56% of employed pregnant women in the first 32 weeks of gestation and more than one in four reported long-term sick leave (>20 days, continuous or intermittent). Low back pain was the reason most frequently stated. Fewer than one in ten stated that their sick leave was due to work-related conditions. Positive predictors of long-term sick leave were multiparity, pre-pregnancy low back pain and mental disease, while an advanced degree education was a negative predictor.CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of sick leave was 56% in the first 32 weeks of gestation and more than one in four women reported long-term sick leave. The majority of reasons for sick leave were pregnancy-related and low back pain was the most frequently given reason.

KW - Adult

KW - Educational Status

KW - Employment

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Logistic Models

KW - Low Back Pain/complications

KW - Mental Disorders/complications

KW - Motivation

KW - Parity

KW - Pregnancy

KW - Pregnancy Complications

KW - Pregnant Women

KW - Prevalence

KW - Sick Leave/statistics & numerical data

KW - Surveys and Questionnaires

KW - Work

KW - Young Adult

U2 - 10.1016/j.srhc.2017.11.005

DO - 10.1016/j.srhc.2017.11.005

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 29389502

SN - 1877-5756

VL - 15

SP - 54

EP - 61

JO - Sexual & Reproductive HealthCare

JF - Sexual & Reproductive HealthCare

ER -