Sickness absence in 21 industrial plants in Israel (1986-87)--the Cordis Study.

A population of 6,016 men and women working in 21 factories in Israel was screened for cardiovascular risk factors in the course of the Cordis Study. Sickness absence was analyzed to obtain overall indices and distributions by disease groups. Factors such as sex, age, and type of occupation were introduced. Most indices were higher for women than for men, for older workers than for younger, and for blue-collar than for white-collar jobs. Loss of scheduled workdays was estimated at 5%; at this rate, loss of revenue for the manufacturing industries (excepting diamonds) may amount to as much as half a billion dollars.