Work ability assessed by patients and their GPs in new episodes of sickness certification.

BACKGROUND: Sickness certification legislation demands that work ability is reduced due to disease or injury. Most sickness certificates are issued by GPs. Assessment of work ability might introduce conflict in the doctor-patient relationship.
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the level of work ability assessments by patients and their GPs in new episodes of sickness certification, and to explore how medical conditions and work demands are associated with the assessments.
METHODS: Forty nine GPs supplied data about 408 patients certified sick <8 days before questionnaires were filled in. A total of 268 (66%) patients completed corresponding questionnaires. Patients and GPs independently answered the following question using a five-point scale: "To what degree is your (the patient's) ability to perform your (his or her) ordinary, remunerative work reduced today?"
RESULTS: Work ability was assessed by patients as very much or much reduced in 66%, moderately reduced in 23% and not much or hardly reduced at all in 11% of the cases. Corresponding assessments made by GPs were 71, 27 and 2%. Patients and GPs agreed well on their assessments (+/- 1 answer category) in 81% (216/266) of the cases. The patients assessed work ability as more reduced the more stressful or physically strenuous their jobs were, and the older their GPs were. The GPs assessed work ability as more reduced the more their assessments were based on clinical findings.
CONCLUSIONS: The agreement between work ability assessments made by patients and GPs was high, despite patients' assessments being associated with work demands and GPs' with medical conditions.