OBJECTIVE: To analyse whether the variables of gender, age and type of job of those in full-time work affect short-term unfitness for work (SUW) in a study undertaken within our health area. DESIGN: A prospective and retrospective study of all the SUW. SETTING: Primary Care. An urban Health Centre. PARTICIPANTS: Those people with full-time jobs registered at the Centre. MAIN MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: The entire 1098 certificates of SUW issued in 1990 were processed. The population pyramid and job distribution among those in full-time work was obtained by a random sample of 5% of the active population. When time off for maternity (TOM) was excluded, women accounted for 44.8% of SUW and men 55.2%. There were no significant differences with the percentages these figures represent for the active population as a whole. The number of SUW per 100 people in work was 15.9 for men and 21.5 and 17.4 for women (including and excluding TOM, respectively). The average length of SUW, excluding maternity, was 27.06 days for men and 26.8 for women. On the question of age, those under 19 and over 40 contributed least to the SUW percentage. Additionally, those under 19 and over 60 were the proportions of the population least prone to SUW. On the question of type of job, we found a higher contribution to absenteeism than expected within Groups 3 and 4 and less in Groups 0/1, 5 and 7/8/9. The longest average length of time for SUW was in Group X (84.2 days/SUW). CONCLUSIONS: Excluding TOM, gender does not appear to be a variable that affects SUW. Age group and type of job are variables affecting SUW. It will be necessary to undertake research into whether there are additional social or labour factors which might explain.
OBJECTIVE: To analyse whether the variables of gender, age and type of job of those in full-time work affect short-term unfitness for work (SUW) in a study undertaken within our health area. DESIGN: A prospective and retrospective study of all the SUW. SETTING: Primary Care. An urban Health Centre. PARTICIPANTS: Those people with full-time jobs registered at the Centre. MAIN MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: The entire 1098 certificates of SUW issued in 1990 were processed. The population pyramid and job distribution among those in full-time work was obtained by a random sample of 5% of the active population. When time off for maternity (TOM) was excluded, women accounted for 44.8% of SUW and men 55.2%. There were no significant differences with the percentages these figures represent for the active population as a whole. The number of SUW per 100 people in work was 15.9 for men and 21.5 and 17.4 for women (including and excluding TOM, respectively). The average length of SUW, excluding maternity, was 27.06 days for men and 26.8 for women. On the question of age, those under 19 and over 40 contributed least to the SUW percentage. Additionally, those under 19 and over 60 were the proportions of the population least prone to SUW. On the question of type of job, we found a higher contribution to absenteeism than expected within Groups 3 and 4 and less in Groups 0/1, 5 and 7/8/9. The longest average length of time for SUW was in Group X (84.2 days/SUW). CONCLUSIONS: Excluding TOM, gender does not appear to be a variable that affects SUW. Age group and type of job are variables affecting SUW. It will be necessary to undertake research into whether there are additional social or labour factors which might explain.
Authors: A M García-Díaz; S Pértega-Díaz; S Pita-Fernández; C Santos-García; J Vázquez-Vázquez Journal: Aten Primaria Date: 2006-01 Impact factor: 1.137